Achille Tarsitano1, Giacomo Del Corso2, Maria Lucia Tardio3, Claudio Marchetti4. 1. Researcher, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna; Section of Maxillofacial Surgery, Policlinico S Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy. 2. PhD student, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Section of Oral Science, University of Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: giacomo.delcorso@unibo.it. 3. Medical Doctor, Pathology Unit, Policlinico S Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy. 4. Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna; Section of Maxillofacial Surgery, Policlinico S Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted to identify the cutoff value of infiltration depth for predicting the risk of lymph node metastasis of the neck in a well-defined population of surgically treated patients affected by stage T1 to T2 oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-seven patients were enrolled in this study. Forty-four patients (65.5%) had pN0 status and 23 (34.5%) had pN(+) status. Thirty-five positive lymph nodes were analyzed. The median follow-up for these patients was 51.4 months. RESULTS: The mean infiltration depth of the N-negative group was 2.4 mm; this was substantially different from the mean value observed in the N-positive group at 5.5 mm. A meaningful cutoff was identified at an infiltration depth value of 4 mm. CONCLUSION: Infiltration depth was identified as an important predictor for neck nodal status. In this specific population, mortality was associated with increasing tumor infiltration depth.
PURPOSE: A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted to identify the cutoff value of infiltration depth for predicting the risk of lymph node metastasis of the neck in a well-defined population of surgically treated patients affected by stage T1 to T2 oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-seven patients were enrolled in this study. Forty-four patients (65.5%) had pN0 status and 23 (34.5%) had pN(+) status. Thirty-five positive lymph nodes were analyzed. The median follow-up for these patients was 51.4 months. RESULTS: The mean infiltration depth of the N-negative group was 2.4 mm; this was substantially different from the mean value observed in the N-positive group at 5.5 mm. A meaningful cutoff was identified at an infiltration depth value of 4 mm. CONCLUSION: Infiltration depth was identified as an important predictor for neck nodal status. In this specific population, mortality was associated with increasing tumor infiltration depth.
Authors: Inne J den Toom; Luuk M Janssen; Robert J J van Es; K Hakki Karagozoglu; Bart de Keizer; Stijn van Weert; Stefan M Willems; Elisabeth Bloemena; C René Leemans; Remco de Bree Journal: Head Neck Date: 2019-01-28 Impact factor: 3.147