A study of incidence and pattern of nodal metastases in patients of otorhinolaryngological malignancies.

Malignancies of otorhinolaryngology are of utmost importance because of a high incidence and early involvement of lymph nodes. It has been experienced and suggested by various authors that topographical distributions of metastatic lymph node is important not only in patients with undiagnosed primary but also as a significant prognostic factor in cases of known primaries. This is a prospective study based on 200 previously untreated patients of otorhinolaryngological malignancies with clinically suspected metastatic cervical nodes observed during one year period. The detailed study of pattern of lymph node involvement arid its correlation with tumour (T) and nodal (N) stage was studied. The level of lymph node involvement and N-stage is related with stage site and histopathology of the primary site. The more advanced the T-stage the more advanced the nodal stage.