CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of oropharyngeal cancers, possible metastases to retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLNs) should be taken into account, especially in tumors arising in the lateral wall and/or posterior wall. Patients with multiple positive neck nodes must have intensified adjuvant therapy, especially when they have extracapsular spread (ECS). OBJECTIVE: To develop optimal treatment strategies for oropharyngeal cancers, we retrospectively analyzed the lymph node metastases of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1988 and 2003, 77 patients with previously untreated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma underwent neck dissections. RESULTS: Among the patients with tumor arising in the lateral wall or posterior wall, retropharyngeal nodes were involved in 29% (11/38), while RPLN metastasis was not observed in patients with tumors arising in the superior wall or anterior wall. The survival rate of patients with two or fewer positive lymph nodes was significantly better than that of patients with three or more positive lymph nodes (p < 0.05). The survival rate of the patients who had ECS was significantly worse than that of the patients who had lymph node metastases but not ECS (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the survival rates of the patients with and without RPLN metastases.
CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of oropharyngeal cancers, possible metastases to retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLNs) should be taken into account, especially in tumors arising in the lateral wall and/or posterior wall. Patients with multiple positive neck nodes must have intensified adjuvant therapy, especially when they have extracapsular spread (ECS). OBJECTIVE: To develop optimal treatment strategies for oropharyngeal cancers, we retrospectively analyzed the lymph node metastases of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1988 and 2003, 77 patients with previously untreated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma underwent neck dissections. RESULTS: Among the patients with tumor arising in the lateral wall or posterior wall, retropharyngeal nodes were involved in 29% (11/38), while RPLN metastasis was not observed in patients with tumors arising in the superior wall or anterior wall. The survival rate of patients with two or fewer positive lymph nodes was significantly better than that of patients with three or more positive lymph nodes (p < 0.05). The survival rate of the patients who had ECS was significantly worse than that of the patients who had lymph node metastases but not ECS (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the survival rates of the patients with and without RPLN metastases.
Authors: M E Heft Neal; J Brennan; J C Brenner; A G Shuman; S B Chinn; C L Stucken; K M Malloy; J S Moyer; K A Casper; S A McLean; M E P Prince; C R Bradford; G T Wolf; D B Chepeha; A J Rosko; M E Spector Journal: Ann Surg Oncol Date: 2019-09-19 Impact factor: 5.344
Authors: Jonathan E Leeman; Stanley Gutiontov; Paul Romesser; Sean McBride; Nadeem Riaz; Nancy Lee; C Jillian Tsai Journal: Pract Radiat Oncol Date: 2016-11-11
Authors: Dong Jin Lee; Mi Jung Kwon; Eun Sook Nam; Ji Hyun Kwon; Jin Hwan Kim; Young-Soo Rho; Hyung Sik Shin; Seong Jin Cho Journal: Korean J Pathol Date: 2013-06-25
Authors: Marcie Tauzin; Amy Rabalais; Joseph L Hagan; Charles G Wood; Robert L Ferris; Rohan R Walvekar Journal: World J Surg Oncol Date: 2010-08-16 Impact factor: 2.754
Authors: Hugo Fontan Köhler; Sérgio Altino Franzi; Fernando Augusto Soares; Humberto Torloni; Luiz Paulo Kowalski Journal: Turk Arch Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2018-09-01