Premium
Extracapsular tumor extension in cervical lymph nodes: Reconciling the literature and seer data
Author(s) -
Brannan Amber G.,
Johnstone Peter A. S.,
Cooper Jay
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.21487
Subject(s) - medicine , epidemiology , head and neck , lymph , oncology , surveillance, epidemiology, and end results , cervical lymph nodes , radiation therapy , surgery , pathology , cancer , metastasis , cancer registry
Background. Extracapsular extension (ECE) of disease from cervical lymph nodes (LNs) is an important prognostic factor for head and neck cancers; moreover, the presence of ECE has been shown to be a criterion for the addition of chemotherapy to postoperative radiation.Methods. We reviewed the frequency of ECE in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry database, particularly as it related to nodal size. Our objective was to compare these findings with the literature.Results. SEER data suggest that the likelihood of ECE does not increase linearly with LN size, whereas most reports in the literature suggest that the likelihood of ECE does increase with increasing LN size.Conclusions. SEER data and the literature are not consistent in describing the relationship between ECE and LN size. These results suggest the need for better standardization in the assessment and reporting of ECE. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2011