The management of squamous cell carcinoma in cervical lymph nodes in the clinical absence of a primary lesion by combined surgery and irradiation.

Sixty-three patients who had either previously treated primary tumors or unknown primary tumors and developed metastatic cervical adenopathy in their previously untreated necks received the combination of surgery and megavoltage irradiation. Within two years, 12 patients died of intercurrent disease, nine patients died with distant metastases only, and five patients had disease recur at a primary site. The remaining 37 patients were evaluable for control of neck disease; 26 patients had previous treatment to a primary head and neck cancer that was under control at the time cervical adenopathy was treated; and 11 patients had an unknown primary tumor that was believed to be in the head and neck area. The combination of pre- or postoperative irradiation and surgery controlled neck disease in 86% of the evaluable patients. Because of the extent of neck disease, these patients would have been at a high risk of failure in the treated area if only a single modality of treatment were used. Analysis of the data shows an association of extranodal connective tissue involvement with both a decreased rate of control within the treated area and distant metastases.