Prediction of outcome by lymph node ratio in patients with parotid gland cancer
M F Meyer1, M Kreppel2, J Meinrath3
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Objective:
Lymph node ratio (LNR) has been shown to be an independent predictor of recurrence risk and survival in different entities of carcinoma.
Methods:
In this retrospective chart review, 128 patients with parotid gland cancer (PGC) subsequently treated by primary surgery were included. About 64% (n = 82) of these patients were additionally treated with adjuvant radiotherapy. Five-year overall survival rates were determined by subgroups based on LNR value.
Results:
Lymph node ratio was found to be significantly associated with overall survival rate (P < 0.001). Using univariate analyses, pathological tumour-node-metastasis (TNM)-stage, UICC-stage grouping and extracapsular spread were found to be significant predictors of overall survival (P < 0.001). However, with a multivariate analyses, LNR remained the only independent predictor of overall survival (P = 0.043).
Conclusions:
After surgery for PGC, evaluation of the neck using LNR was found to reliably stratify the overall survival rate.
