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Does Tumor Depth Affect Nodal Upstaging in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck?
Author(s) -
Alkureishi Lee W. T.,
Ross Gary L.,
Shoaib Taimur,
Soutar David S.,
Robertson A G.,
Sorensen Jens A.,
Thomsen Jorn,
Krogdahl Annelise,
Alvarez Julio,
Barbier Luis,
Santamaria Joseba,
Poli Tito,
Sesenna Enrico,
Kovács Adorján F.,
Grünwald Frank,
Barzan Luigi,
Sulfaro Sandro,
Alberti Franco
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1097/mlg.0b013e31815e8bf0
Subject(s) - medicine , biopsy , immunohistochemistry , head and neck squamous cell carcinoma , h&e stain , sentinel node , lymph node , neck dissection , stage (stratigraphy) , radiology , primary tumor , head and neck cancer , sss* , cutoff , carcinoma , pathology , cancer , radiation therapy , metastasis , physics , quantum mechanics , paleontology , biology , breast cancer
Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether tumor depth affects upstaging of the clinically node‐negative neck, as determined by sentinel lymph node biopsy with full pathologic evaluation of harvested nodes including step‐serial sectioning (SSS) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Patients and Methods: One hundred seventy‐two patients with cT1/2 N0 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity/oropharynx undergoing primary resection and either sentinel node biopsy (SNB) or SNB‐assisted neck dissection as a staging tool for the cN0 neck. Harvested nodes were examined with hematoxylin‐eosin staining, SSS, and IHC. Patients upstaged by SSS/IHC were denoted pN1mi. Results: One hundred one of 172 patients were staged pN0, with 71 (41%) patients upstaged. Increasing tumor depth was associated with higher likelihood of upstaging ( P < .001). Tumor depth showed a positive correlation with nodal stage according to TNM classification ( P < .001). Tumor depth greater than 4 mm appears to be the most appropriate cutoff for risk stratification, although tumors in the oropharynx may require a lower value. Conclusion: Tumor depth is an important prognostic factor for patients with SCC of the oral cavity or oropharynx. Tumors greater than 4 mm are associated with greater risk of upstaging; however, this optimum cutoff value may vary between primary tumor sites.