Objective To evaluate the clinical outcome of craniofacial resection for advanced malignant tumors in oral and maxillofacial regions.Methods Forty-six patients who underwent craniofacial resection for malignancies involving the anterior and middle cranial fossa over a 20-year period between June 1978 and December 1997 at our department were evaluated. Twenty patients received radiation therapy and an adjuvant therapy after the operation. Eleven patients received chemotherapy of various types as an adjuvant therapy.Results The 3- and 5-year survival rates were 48.8% (20/41) and 35.1% (13/37), respectively, while the 10-year survival rate was 20% (4/20).Conclusions Our results revealed good prospects of using craniofacial resection on patients with advanced malignancies in the oral and maxillofacial regions.