Prognostic value of lymph node density in buccal squamous cell carcinoma.
Tam-Lin Chow1, Wilson W Y Kwan1, Siu-Chung Fung1
1Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
American Journal of Otolaryngology
|May 31, 2017
Summary
Lymph node density (LND) is a superior prognostic indicator for buccal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) compared to traditional nodal staging. This study confirms LND
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Head and Neck Surgery
- Cancer Prognostics
Background:
- Lymph node density (LND) shows promise as a prognosticator for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
- Limited research exists on LND's role in specific oral cancer subsites, such as buccal SCC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the prognostic significance of lymph node density (LND) in buccal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
- To compare the efficacy of LND with conventional pN-classification for predicting outcomes in buccal SCC.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 39 patients with buccal SCC undergoing surgical neck dissection.
- LND calculated as positive nodes divided by nodal yield; cutoff at >0.07.
- Survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests.
Main Results:
- LND and pN-classification were significant predictors for overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).
- In cases with positive nodal spread, LND remained a significant predictor for OS (p=0.03), outperforming pN-classification.
- LND showed a trend towards predicting DSS (p=0.112).
Conclusions:
- Lymph node density (LND) demonstrates significant prognostic value for buccal SCC.
- LND appears more effective than conventional pN-classification for predicting overall survival in buccal SCC.
- Further large-scale studies on LND in buccal SCC and other oral cancer subsites are warranted.
