[Patterns of cervical metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck]

In this study, the existence, distribution and characteristics of cervical lymph nodes metastases in patients with laryngeal, hypopharyngeal and intraoral squamous cell cancer were investigated.

A retrospective review of the charts of 81 laryngeal, hypopharyngeal and intraoral cancer patients (10 females, 71 males; mean age 55.9 years; range 30 and 81 years) surgically treated and followed up in Haseki Training and Research Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic between January 2004 and October 2007 was evaluated. The demographic data of the patients, tumor localization sites, surgical techniques, TNM stages and regional neck metastases were evaluated.

In laryngeal cancer patients, metastatic lymph nodes were found in 36 of 83 (43%) neck specimens. Patients with intraoral tumors had metastases in six (36.4%) of 20 neck specimens. In hypopharynx tumor patients in six of seven (85.7%) showed metastasis.

These results suggest that elective neck treatment in patients with head and neck squamous cell cancers, should include neck levels I, II, III, IV and V. Upper aerodigestive system squamous cell cancers have specific patterns of invasion in cervical region. According to the localization of the primary tumor, high risk sites of metastases were detected. Selective neck dissections were planned according to these invasion patterns of tumors.