Comparative studies of diagnosis with US or CT of the cervical lymph node metastases in head and neck cancer

Correct assessment of lymph node metastasis in the head-neck region is very important for management of head and neck cancer. 233 lymph nodes were removed by radical neck dissection from 12 cases with cancer in the head and neck region, who did not undergo any preoperative treatment, and the materials were histopathologically examined. The histopathological findings were compared with preoperative US and CT findings. Histopathologically, 26 lymph nodes were found positive for metastasis and the remaining 207 lymph nodes, negative. US detected 45 (19%) of 233 lymph nodes before operation, and 40 of the 45 lymph nodes (89% : 40/45) were qualitatively correctly diagnosed. CT detected 21 lymph nodes (19%), 16 of which were qualitatively correctly diagnosed (76% : 16/21). Of 26 lymph nodes which were histopathologically involved, 19 lymph nodes were correctly diagnosed by US and 11 by CT. Possible reasons explaining the superiority of US to CT in terms of diagnostic reliability are the following: 1) US demonstrates more clearly the existence of lymph nodes than CT. 2) US is more reliable for measuring sizes of lymph nodes than CT. In literature, CT has been often reported to be useful to diagnose cervical lymph node involvement in individual cases. However, we insist that it is necessary to diagnose individual lymph nodes strictly for correct assessment of the reliability of image diagnosis.     

Level IIb lymph node metastasis in thyroid papillary carcinoma

The objective of the study was to evaluate the incidence of level IIb lymph node metastases in neck dissections for thyroid papillary carcinoma (TPC) patients. 47 neck dissections of 33 patients with TPC were prospectively evaluated. Selective neck dissections (levels II, III, IV, and V) were performed in all cases. If level I lymph node metastasis was suspected during the procedure, level I dissection was also performed. All level IIb specimens were sent separately from the remainder of the neck dissection for the pathological examination. The number of dissected and metastatic lymph nodes in each specimen was recorded. Twenty-two of 47 neck dissections (46.8%) were positive for the lymph node metastasis. Among 47 neck dissection specimens, the incidence of lymph node metastasis at level II was 12.7% (6 of 47) and level IIb was 2.1% (1 of 47). The rate of level IIb lymph node involvement among patients with metastatic cervical lymph nodes was 4.5% (1 of 22). The specimen with metastatic lymph node at level IIb had also metastasis at levels IIa, III, IV, and V. The results of the present study suggested that lymph node metastases in level IIb are rare in patients with TPC undergoing neck dissection.     

甲状腺乳头状癌临床NO患者颈部淋巴结转移规律

目的 探讨甲状腺乳头状癌临床NO( clinical NO,cN0)患者颈部淋巴结转移规律和外科处理方式.方法 前瞻性研究2007年8月至2010年9月51例甲状腺乳头状癌cNO患者.术前采用核素法和染料法定位前哨淋巴结,并行术中冰冻病理检查,与术后颈清扫标本常规病理进行对照.记录51例患者53侧颈部淋巴结清扫转移淋巴结的数量及在Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ、Ⅵ区的分布情况.研究患者年龄、肿瘤多中心病灶、被膜外侵、肿瘤大小、中央区淋巴转移数目与颈侧区淋巴转移的关系,影响颈侧区淋巴转移率单因素差异比较采用x2检验,Logistic模型进行多因素分析.结果 颈部淋巴结隐匿性转移率77.4％ (41/53),颈侧隐匿性转移率58.5％(31/53),中央区淋巴转移≥3枚是颈侧区淋巴转移的独立危险因素.pNO 12侧,pN+41侧,17侧仅有1个分区转移,占pN+的41.5％( 17/41);2个或2个以上分区转移24侧,占pN+的58.5％( 24/41).转移淋巴结分布以Ⅵ区最常见,为62.3％(33/53),其次为Ⅲ区52.8％(28/53),Ⅳ区30.2％(16/53),Ⅱ区18.9％(10/53),Ⅴ区0％ (0/53).结论 甲状腺乳头状癌cNO患者隐匿性淋巴结转移以多区转移为主,Ⅵ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅱ区常见.中央区淋巴转移≥3枚较易出现颈侧淋巴转移,对cNO患者选择性清扫Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅵ区能清除大部分存在的颈部隐匿性转移淋巴结.     

Simultaneous bilateral neck dissections

From April 1985 to December 1989, 65 patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, underwent simultaneous bilateral neck dissection (SBND) at Saitama Cancer Center. Three and five year survival percentages were 53 and 42%, respectively. In patients without histologic involvement of cervical nodes, five year survival rate was 83%, whereas in those with nodal involvement five year survival fell to 32% (p less than 0.005). The conclusion were the following: (1) Of 38 patients diagnosed to have lymph node involvements on one side of neck before operation, 8 patients (22%) were found to have bilateral lymph node metastasis in clinicopathological study. Of 13 patients having no clinical lymph node metastasis on both sides of neck, 7 patients (54%) were found to have unilateral lymph node metastasis. Of 16 patients diagnosed to have bilateral lymph nodes involvement, 10 patients were found to have bilateral neck metastasis and 2 had unilateral neck metastasis. (2) Of 35 cases of hypopharyngeal canners, 19 cases had clinically positive lymph nodes on one side of neck. Of these 19 cases, 5 cases (26%) had histologically positive nodes on the opposite side. 14 (40%) of 35 cases had metastasis on the opposite side. In conclusion, SBND is a proper treatment for metastatic cervical cancer from a primary lesion of the head and neck, especially in hypopharyngeal cancers, because the rate of recurrence seems to be related more to the difficulty in controlling lymph node metastasis than to the failure in treatment of the primary cancer.     

Level V Lymph Node Dissection in Oral and Oropharyngeal Carcinoma Patients with Clinically Node‐Positive Neck: Is it Absolutely Necessary?

OBJECTIVES: Postoperative shoulder dysfunction has been significantly associated with any dissection of level V secondary to traction or with ischemic injury to the spinal accessory nerve. The aim of this study was to determine whether the dissection of level V lymph node pads is absolutely necessary in therapeutic neck dissection as a treatment for oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OOSCC) patients with clinically N+ neck. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 93 OOSCC patients who underwent surgical treatment of the primary lesion along with a simultaneous comprehensive neck dissection from January 1992 to December 2003. Of these, only one patient had a clinically positive neck node at level V. During the neck dissection, the contents of the level V lymph nodes were dissected, labeled, and processed separately from the remainder of the major neck dissection specimen. We studied the incidence of pathologic metastasis to level V lymph nodes. In addition, we also evaluated several potential risk factors for metastatic disease in the level V lymph nodes such as sex, age, T stage, N stage, histologic grade, and presence of other positive lymph nodes. RESULTS: A total of 96 comprehensive neck dissections were performed in this series. The prevalence of metastases in the level V lymph nodes was 5% (5 of 93) in ipsilateral and 0% (0 of 3) in contralateral necks. One case with clinically positive node at level V had a pathologic positive node in level II, III, IV, and V. Occult metastasis rate of ipsilateral level V was 4% (4 of 92). There was a statistically significant association between level V metastases and a positive N stage above N2b (P=.01). The presence of metastasis in other multiple neck levels, particularly the combined neck levels II, III, and IV, also have a statistically significant association with level V metastasis (P=.023). CONCLUSION: Level V lymph node pads may be preserved in modified neck dissections on OOSCC patients with clinically N+ neck below the nodal stage N2a.     

Usefulness and limitations in ultrasonography for diagnosing neck lymph node metastases in patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: comparison with pathological findings following neck dissection

We evaluated the usefulness and limitations in ultrasonography (US) for diagnosing neck lymph node metastases in patients with hypopharyngeal cancer by comparing the results of preoperative US examinations with postoperative pathological findings following neck dissection. Seventy-five previously untreated patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma underwent a curative procedure that included neck dissection. Preoperatively, all patients were examined by palpation, computed tomography (CT), and US. Postoperatively, all dissected neck lymph nodes were submitted for pathological examination. Results of pre-and postoperative examinations were then compared. US accuracy for each lymph node was 93.9%, while sensitivity was 78.0%, since hypopharyngeal cancer metastasizes early and easily to the neck lymph nodes, and it is difficult to detect small, pathologically positive nodes. Nine of 75 cases showed latent neck recurrence, and two of these were underestimated by US. The major cause for neck recurrence was considered to be the high rate of metastases in such cases, rather than a reduced dissection field. It is not rare to find very small, pathologically positive lymph nodes that US cannot detect in hypopharyngeal cancer. Efforts must therefore be expanded to improve the accuracy of US diagnosis. Care must also be taken when selecting cases for no or limited neck dissection.     

Lymph node metastasis of glottic laryngeal carcinoma

The incidence of lymph node metastases in glottic cancer is assumed to be lower than in other head and neck cancers. In a retrospective study this statement was investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This analysis was based on 910 consecutive patients with glottic carcinoma treated between 1970 and 1990 by means of surgery with special interest on regional lymph node metastases. RESULTS: 8.6 % patients had clinically positive necks (N+) and 5.9 % pathohistologically positive necks (pN+). The incidence of lymph node metastases showed correlation with pT category and vocal cord mobility. Lymph node metastases were found in 5 % of pT2, in 18 % of pT3 and in 32 % of pT4 tumors. Only one patient with pT1 cancer had metastatic lymph node involvement. The incidence of occult lymph node metastases was 18 %. Lymph node involvement, extracapsular spread and lymphangiosis carcinomatosa proved to be relevant prognostic factors. The 5 year recurrent free survival rate was 86.7 % for the whole group, 81.6 % for patients with negative nodes (pN0), and 61.8 % for patients with pN+ nodes (p < 0.001 according to logrank test). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical lymph node staging plays an important prognostic role in the staging procedure also in glottic carcinoma. At least in T3 carcinomas, elective treatment of the cervical lymph nodes seems to be necessary. T2 carcinomas with impaired cord mobility have a significant higher risk for metastatic spread; therefore neck dissection should be discussed also in these cases.     

Distribution of metastatic lymph nodes in oropharyngeal carcinoma and its implications for the elective treatment of the neck

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the distribution of lymph node metastases in patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and improve the rationale for elective treatment of the neck. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective cohort study of patients evaluated from 1990 to 1998 in a tertiary cancer care center. PATIENTS:The 81 consecutive patients who were identified from the hospital database. Patients were eligible for the study if they had a previously untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx and histopathologically diagnosed lymph node metastases without a second primary tumor treated by an en bloc resection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We analyzed the anatomic distribution of lymph node metastases. RESULTS: The clinical neck cancer stages were N0 in 22 cases, N1 in 22, N2a in 8, N2b in 14, N2c in 4, and N3 in 11. The most common sites for the metastases detected clinically as well as histopathologically were at levels II and III. Histologically, level I alone was involved in 5 cases and level IV alone was involved in none. Sixteen patients with N0 neck cancer stage underwent a radical neck dissection. There were 2 cases of metastases at level I and no level IV involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Pathological lymph nodes in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma are more frequent at level I than at level IV. This finding suggests that elective neck dissection for patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma should be a supraomohyoid neck dissection (levels I, II, and III) rather than a lateral neck dissection (levels II, III, and IV).     

Medial lingual lymph node metastasis in carcinoma of the tongue

Lingual lymph node metastases are rarely seen in carcinoma of the tongue, and these nodes are not removed during neck dissection. Lingual lymph nodes are classified into medial and lateral groups, and metastasis to the former is extremely rare. A 55-year-old male with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, (stage T4aN0M0), underwent hemiglossectomy with neck dissection and free flap reconstruction. The lingual septum had a mass, 8 mm in size, which was diagnosed as medial lingual lymph node metastasis on histopathology. The patient developed multiple distant metastases and died of disease 18 months after the initial surgery. The presence of medial lymph node metastasis could result in contralateral neck metastases and worsen prognosis. Such cases may warrant more intensive therapy than recommended by current guidelines.     

淋巴转移阳性舌体鳞癌的颈部治疗策略探讨

目的 分析影响淋巴转移阳性(pathologically node positive,pN+)舌体鳞癌患者颈部复发的相关因素和淋巴转移规律,探讨pN+舌体鳞癌的颈部治疗策略.方法 回顾性分析1991年1月至2006年12月期间138例pN+舌体鳞癌患者的临床和随访资料,分析pN+舌体鳞癌颈部转移淋巴结和复发淋巴结的分布规律和pN+舌体鳞癌临床病理因素和治疗方法对颈部复发的影响.结果 全部病例随访2年以上或至患者死亡.Kaplan-Meier法计算3年生存率为46.4%,5年生存率为36.2%.138例共203个分区发生转移,其中同侧Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ区累及频率达94.6%,47例共66个分区出现颈部淋巴结复发,其中同侧Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ区复发频率达77.3%.颈部复发率与pT分期、pN分期、pTNM分期、淋巴结包膜外侵犯有关(P值均＜0.05);当淋巴结有包膜外侵犯时,术后放疗组的颈部复发率低于未放疗组,但差异无统计学意义(P=0.076);不同颈清扫方式间的颈部复发率差异无统计学意义(P值均＞0.05).Cox多因素生存分析显示,pTNM分期和淋巴结包膜外侵犯是影响pN+舌体鳞癌预后的独立危险因素.结论 pT分期、pN分期、pTNM分期、淋巴结包膜外侵犯是影响pN+舌体鳞癌颈部复发的因素;当淋巴结有包膜外侵犯时,术后放疗有可能降低颈部复发率;改良性颈清扫的颈部复发率与经典性颈清扫没有差异,对非淋巴结构无肿瘤侵犯的pN+舌体鳞癌尽量行改良性颈清扫;pN+舌体鳞癌转移和复发淋巴结主要分布在同侧Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ区,择区性颈清扫可应用于pN+舌体鳞癌.     

Ⅵ区淋巴结在甲状腺乳头状癌颈淋巴转移中的意义

目的 进一步认识Ⅵ区淋巴结在甲状腺乳头状癌(papillary thyroid carcinoma,PTC)颈转移中的地位及PTC患者颈部转移淋巴结的分布特点,为PTC的颈部淋巴结处理提供依据.方法 回顾性总结2002年1月至2004年12月97例病变局限于一侧腺叶的PTC患者的临床资料:72例术前检查为cNO,25例为cN+;32例原发灶长径≤1 cm,65例原发灶长径＞1 cm.术中常规取Ⅲ、Ⅳ区淋巴结做冰冻病理检查,根据淋巴结病理结果、肿瘤原发灶大小及位置决定颈部淋巴结的清扫范围.Ⅲ、Ⅳ区淋巴转移患者行包括Ⅵ区的改良性颈清扫;伴有肿瘤包膜外侵患者行双侧Ⅵ区清扫;原发灶长径≤1 cm行患侧Ⅵ区清扫;原发灶长径＞1 cm行双侧Ⅵ区清扫.结果 97例患者行Ⅵ区清扫122侧,45.1%(55/122)发生淋巴转移.72例cN0患者45.8%(33/72)发生Ⅵ区淋巴转移,25例cN+患者76.0%(19/25)发生Ⅵ区淋巴转移,差异有统计学意义(x2=6.790,P=0.009).10例原发灶包膜外侵患者的淋巴转移发生率为65.0%(13/20),87例无包膜外侵患者的淋巴转移发生率为41.2%(42/102),差异有统计学意义(x2=3.833,P=0.047).32例原发灶长径≤1 cm的患者行患侧Ⅵ区清扫,43.8%(14/32)发生淋巴转移,65例原发灶长径＞1 cm患者行双侧Ⅵ区清扫,69.2%(45/65)有患侧Ⅵ区转移,23.1%(15/65)有双侧Ⅵ区转移,两组间同侧Ⅵ区转移率的差异有统计学意义(x2=5.843,P=0.016).结论 Ⅵ区为FTC较早发生淋巴转移的区域,伴有原发灶包膜外侵犯者易发生Ⅵ区淋巴转移.原发灶长径≤1 cm的患者可发生同侧Ⅵ区转移;原发灶长径＞1 cm者可发生双侧Ⅵ区转移.PTC颈淋巴转移可单独或同时发生在Ⅵ区或侧颈区的任何一个区域.术中应常规做Ⅲ、Ⅳ区淋巴结冰冻病理检查,淋巴结阳性者行包括Ⅵ区的改良性颈清扫.     

Marginal branch of the facial nerve in submandibular dissection for T2 lingual carcinomas

Lingual carcinomas were found in the early stages. However, even with early detection carcinomas may show lymph node metastasis in the neck, and this may play an important role in their outcome. For this reason, neck dissection is the treatment of choice for T2 lingual carcinomas. A surgical technique of submandibular dissection preserving the mandibular branch of the facial nerve has been done in our department for the past 3 years. The effectiveness of this technique was studied by means of histopathological investigations of superficial nodes that were included in fatty tissues together with the mandibular branch. The conclusions are as follows; 1. No lymph node metastasis was observed histopathologically in superficial fatty tissues that contained the mandibular branch in any of the 26 cases of T2 lingual carcinomas. 2. In 8 cases of those 26, lymph node metastasis was found histopathologically in deep submandibular tissues resected during neck dissection. Even in these 8 cases, however, no metastasis was ditected in the superficial lymph nodes. 3. CH40(activated carbon particle) was injected into the lateral surface of the mobile tongue and its uptake into the submandibular lymph nodes were investigated in 10 cases of N(-) head and neck carcinomas. CH40 was detected in none of the superficial lymph node. 4. These results indicate that early lingual carcinomas localizing in the lateral surface of the tongue do not metastasize into the superficial lymph nodes of the submandibular region, and that our surgical technique of submandibular dissection is useful for T2 lingual carcinomas.     

Level IIb lymph node metastasis in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVES: Selective neck dissection, despite preservation of the spinal accessory nerve, can lead to some degree of postoperative shoulder dysfunction as a result of removal of level IIb lymph nodes. The aim of this study was to determine whether level IIb lymph nodes can be preserved in elective or therapeutic neck dissection as a treatment for patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective analysis of a case series. METHODS: A prospective analysis of 65 patients with laryngeal SCC who underwent surgical treatment of the primary lesion with simultaneous neck dissection from January 1999 to December 2002 was performed. During the neck dissection, the contents of the level IIb lymph nodes were dissected, labeled, and processed separately from the remainder of level II nodes and the main neck dissection specimen. The incidence of pathologic metastasis to level IIb lymph nodes and the regional recurrence within this area were evaluated. In addition, several potential risk factors for metastatic disease in the level IIb lymph nodes such as sex, age, cT stage, cN stage, and the presence of other positive lymph nodes were also evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 125 neck dissections were performed in this series. Of these dissections, 102 (82%) were elective and 23 (18%) were therapeutic. The prevalence of metastases in the level IIb lymph nodes was 1% (one of 46) and 0% (zero of 56) in clinically node-negative (N0) ipsilateral and contralateral necks, respectively, and 37% (seven of 19) and 0% (zero of four) in clinically node-positive ipsilateral and contralateral necks, respectively. There was a statistically significant association between level IIb metastases and clinically positive N stage (P<.001). The presence of other positive lymph nodes was also shown to have a statistically significant association with metastasis in the level IIb lymph nodes (P=.001). Only two of 46 patients (4%) with clinically N0 necks developed a regional recurrence. However, three of eight cases (38%) with positive pathologic level IIb lymph nodes developed regional recurrence. CONCLUSION: Level IIb lymph node pads may be preserved in elective neck dissection in patients with laryngeal SCC. However, this area should be removed thoroughly during therapeutic neck dissection in the treatment of clinically node-positive necks.     

Selective neck dissection in the management of squamous cell carcinoma of the upper digestive tract

Selective neck dissection has been used clinically in elective treatment of carcinoma, although many surgeons continue to advocate modified radical or radical neck dissection for therapeutic management of the neck. In a retrospective study 167 previously untreated patients were reviewed following curative laser microsurgical resections of oral or pharyngeal primary tumors and a unior bilateral selective neck dissection. In all, 221 (54 bilateral) neck dissections were performed. In patients with oral primary disease lymph nodes of levels I–III were removed, while nodes in levels II and III were removed in patients with pharyngeal tumors. Level IV was dissected when several metastases were suspected during operation. The posterior triangle was not dissected. Lymph nodes were histopathologically negative in 73 patients and positive in 94 patients. Twenty-five of these latter cases had pN1 disease, 55 had pN2b disease and 10 had bilateral lymph node metastases. Twenty patients in the pN0 group and 63 patients in the pN⁺ group received postoperative radiotherapy (to 56.7 Gy to the primary site and 52.5 Gy to the neck). With a median follow-up interval of 34 months, recurrence in the dissected neck occurred in 3 of 73 patients (4.1%) with pN0 disease and 6 of 90 patients (6.6%) with pN⁺ necks. Four patients with pN⁺ necks had simultaneous recurrences at the primary site. The addition of adjuvant radiotherapy seemed to improve disease control in the neck and improve overall survival in patients with an unfavorable prognosis due to multiple metastases or metastases with extracapsular spread.Presented at the 66th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Karlsruhe, 27–31 May 1995     

Level IIb lymph node metastasis in neck dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To determine the patterns of lateral cervical metastasis and the incidence of level IIb lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma. DESIGN: Retrospective medical record review. SETTING: Academic medicine. PATIENTS: From March 1, 2000, to April 30, 2006, 46 consecutive patients (38 women and 8 men) with papillary thyroid carcinoma. INTERVENTIONS: Patients underwent 55 modified radical neck dissections for the management of lateral cervical metastasis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All patients had preoperative evidence of a metastatic cervical lymph node. All specimens were labeled and mapped by the operating surgeon to identify their levels. RESULTS: Among 55 specimens, 82% (45 specimens) exhibited nodal disease at multiple levels. The incidences of metastases at level II, III, IV, and V nodes were 60% (33 specimens), 82% (45 specimens), 75% (41 specimens), and 20% (11 specimens), respectively. Skip metastases were present at a low rate (6% [3 specimens]). Among 12 specimens (22%) with metastatic lymph nodes at level IIb, 92% (11 specimens) had disease at level IIa. The rate of level IIb lymph node involvement in patients with metastatic lymph nodes at level IIa was 34% (11 of 32). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor involvement at multiple nodal levels usually occurs when patients have lateral cervical lymph node metastasis. Neck dissection should include the level IIb lymph node whenever level IIa lymph node metastasis is found. Level IIb dissection is probably unnecessary when level IIa lymph nodes are uninvolved because the incidence of metastasis to level IIb is low if level IIa is not involved.     

Histopathological features of occult metastasis detected by sentinel lymph node biopsy in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Sentinel lymph node biopsy has been introduced for head and neck cancer with promising results. Research in breast cancer has revealed different histopathological features of occult lymph node metastasis with possibly different clinical and prognostic implications. The aim of the study was to evaluate the histopathological features of occult metastasis detected by sentinel lymph node in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective. METHODS: According to Hermanek (5), occult metastasis was differentiated into isolated tumor cells and infiltration of lymph node parenchyma smaller than 2 mm in diameter (micrometastasis) and larger than 2 mm in diameter (metastasis). RESULTS: Occult metastases were found in 6 of 19 (32%) sentinel lymph nodes. Three patients showed micrometastasis with a mean size of 1.4 mm (range, 1.2-1.5 mm), the first with three separate micrometastases within the same sentinel lymph node, the second with an additional cluster of isolated tumor cells within the same sentinel lymph node, and the third with an additional micrometastasis in one lymph node of the elective neck dissection. Two patients had macrometastasis (3.4 and 8 mm), both with multiple metastases in the elective neck dissection. One patient had two clusters of isolated tumor cells in the sentinel lymph node and an additional cluster of isolated tumor cells in one lymph node of the elective neck dissection. CONCLUSIONS: Occult metastasis can be subdivided histopathologically in isolated tumor cells, micrometastasis, and macrometastasis. We present the first study describing a great variety of these subtypes in sentinel lymph nodes from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Because the independent prognostic factor and clinical relevance of these subtypes is still unclear, we emphasize the importance of reporting these findings uniformly and according to well-established criteria.     

声门上型喉癌临床N1患者转移颈淋巴结的分布

目的 分析声门上型喉癌病例早期颈淋巴转移(clinical N1，cN1)的特点，探讨合理的颈清扫手术方式。方法 1987年3月-1997年10月收治108例声门上型喉癌cN1的患者行喉原发灶切除时，先行改良或经典颈清扫术，将颈清扫标本的淋巴结分区行病理学检查，确定最常见颈淋巴转移的分布。结果 108例(147侧)颈清扫标本中检出转移淋巴结126个，其中Ⅱ、Ⅲ区转移淋巴结占总数的89．7％(113／126)，Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ区占97．6％(123／126)。126个转移淋巴结分布在109个区次，其中Ⅱ、Ⅲ区占88．1％(96／109)，Ⅱ，Ⅲ和Ⅳ区占97．2％(106／109)。45例(63侧)术后颈淋巴结病理检查阳性，声门上喉癌cN1的转移率为41．7％(45／108)，双颈转移率为18．5％(20／108)。随访5～14年，随访率为98％，颈部复发8例，复发率为7．4％(8／108)，复发部位分别位于Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ区。5年生存率为81．5％(88／108)。结论 对声门上型喉癌cN1病例可行颈侧清扫术(即Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ区的清扫)，Ⅰ、Ⅴ区在无明显转移证据时可避免行该区的清扫术；一侧术后病理证实有转移或对侧cN1的病例，对侧亦应行颈侧清扫术。     

Lymph node status of lateral neck compartment in patients with N1b papillary thyroid carcinoma

Conclusion Loco-regional recurrence-free survival was significantly decreased in the papillary thyroid cancer patients with >?6 metastatic lymph nodes and a lymph node ratio >?0.22. Also, the risk of lung metastasis was significantly increased in cases with bilateral neck node metastases.

Objective This study focused on the metastatic lymph node status of the lateral neck compartment to understand its prognostic significance for loco-regional recurrence and distant metastasis.

Methods Between January 2004 and December 2009, 1040 patients were diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and underwent treatment.

Results In a multivariate analysis, sex, the number of metastatic lymph nodes, and the lymph node ratio was significantly associated with loco-regional recurrence. The sensitivity/specificity of >?6 metastatic lymph nodes for predicting recurrence was 64.0%/69.7%. The 5-year loco-regional recurrence-free survival of patients with 0–6 metastatic lymph nodes and >?6 metastatic lymph nodes were 93.4% and 79.2%, respectively. The 5-year loco-regional recurrence-free survival of patients with a lymph node ratio ≤?0.22 and a lymph node ratio >?0.22 were 97.1% and 78.8%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, only bilateral neck node metastases were significantly associated with lung metastasis.     

Prophylactic neck dissection for submandibular gland cancer

The indication and preferred dissection field for prophylactic neck dissection for submandibular gland cancer are controversial and have not been standardized. We reviewed 27 patients who underwent a definitive operation for previously untreated submandibular gland cancer. The 27 patients consisted of 13 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma, 6 patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma, 6 patients with adenocarcinoma, and 2 patients with squamous cell carcinoma. The diagnostic accuracies of malignancy and histology with fine needle aspiration cytology were 86% and 56%, respectively. In sixteen out of 21 cases without neck lymph node metastasis, a prophylactic neck dissection was performed and pathological neck lymph node metastases were detected in five cases. On the other hand, in five cases that did not receive a prophylactic neck dissection, latent neck lymph node metastasis was observed in 2 cases. In both cases of neck lymph node metastasis, pathological positive lymph nodes were observed in only level 2 or level 3. The rates of occult neck lymph node metastasis according to the T stage were 0% in T1, 33.3% in T2, 57.1% in T3 and 100% in T4. The rates of occult neck lymph node metastasis according to the histopathology were 46.2% in adenoid cystic carcinoma, 50% in mucoepidermoid carcinoma, 50% in adenocarcinoma, and 50% in squamous cell carcinoma. In conclusion, we believe that supraomyohoid neck dissection is suitable for N0 cases of submandibular gland cancer because of four reasons: 1) rate of occult neck lymph node metastasis in submandibular gland cancer is high, 2) pathological neck lymph node metastasis in N0 cases and latent neck lymph node metastasis were observed in level 2 and level 3, 3) the prognosis of cases with neck lymph node metastasis was poor, and 4) same skin incision can be used not only for the primary resection but also for the neck dissection.     

Levels II and III neck dissection for larynx cancer with N0 neck

The removal of level II, III, and IV metastases has gained importance in the treatment of squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the neck and larynx. This study assessed the possibility of removing level II and level III metastases only, given the low likelihood of occurrence of metastatic lymph nodes on level IV in SCCs of the larynx.ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze the prevalence rates of metastatic lymph nodes on level IV in laryngeal SCC patients.MethodsThis prospective study enrolled consecutive patients with laryngeal SCC submitted to neck lymph node dissection. Neck levels were identified and marked for future histopathology testing.ResultsSix percent (3/54) of the necks had level IV metastatic lymph nodes. All cN0 necks (42) were free from level IV metastasis. Histopathology testing done in the cN (+) necks (12) revealed that 25% of the level IV specimens were positive for SCC. The difference between cN0 and cN (+) necks was statistically significant (p = 0.009). Level IV metastases never occurred in isolation, and were always associated with level II or level III involvement (p = 0.002).ConclusionThe prevalence rate for lymph node metastasis in cN0 necks was 0%. Level IV metastatic lymph nodes were correlated to cN (+) necks. Level IV metastasis was associated with the presence of metastatic lymph nodes in levels II or III.