Abstract: Objective :To investigate the optimized treatment and the factors about prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the gingival. Methods :A retrospective study was conducted in 127 cases with squamous cell carcinoma of the gingival hospitalized from January 1978 to December 1998. All patients were followed for 5 years and divided into 6 groups according to the treatment: operation alone; radiotherapy only; operation and radiotherapy sequentially; radiotherapy and operation sequendally; chemotherapy and operation sequentially and palliative chemotherapy. Results :Of the 127 pabents with squamous cell carcinoma 18 cases received operation alone; 37 cases only received radiotherapy; 9 cases received operation and radiotherapy sequentially; 22 cases received radiotherapy and operation sequentially; 31 cases received chemotherapy and operation sequentially and 10 cases received palliative chemotherapy. The 5 years survival rates of the 6 groups are 27.5%,20.4%,66.7%、 72.7%,50.2% and 0% respectively. Conclusions : Operation is the first scheme for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the gingival; accompanied with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy is a effective method for the control of local failure after radiotherapy and recurrence after operation; combination therapy is helpful for the prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the gingival. The methods oftreatment, staging, metastasis of the lymph node and site of the primary disease play an important role in the prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the gingival.