Clinical significance of neck node metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary antrum

PURPOSE: To further clarify the clinical significance of neck node metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus (maxillary SCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical charts of the 116 patients with maxillary SCC were retrospectively reviewed. Twelve patients (10.3%) presented initially with neck node metastases, and 14 (13.5%) of 104 node-negative patients subsequently developed regional recurrence during the follow-up period. The high-risk factors for neck node metastasis, patterns of regional failure, and survival for node-positive patients were analyzed with the patient cohort that had largely been treated with radiation alone. RESULTS: Of the various factors, the tumor extension to the nasopharynx or oral cavity was the statistically significant determinants predictive of neck node metastasis at the initial diagnosis. During the follow-up period, regional failure was far less common than local failure (19.0% v 68.1%), and the majority of regional failures were accompanied by local recurrences. The oral cavity extension and control status of local disease were the high-risk factors for subsequent development of regional recurrence in node-negative patients. The overall 5-year survival rate for node-positive patients (16.7%) showed a poorer outcome compared with that for node-negative patients (31.3%), but it was similar to that of T4N0 patients (26.6%). Although patients who subsequently developed neck node recurrence during follow-up represented a dismal prognosis, uncontrolled local diseases in these patients still remained a major problem, resulting in a poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Despite an unfavorable prognosis of patients with neck node metastasis, an aggressive trial to achieve maximum local control of the primary tumor was considered to be more important than elective neck treatments.