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Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Versus Elective Neck Dissection: Long-Term Oncologic Outcomes in Clinically Node-Negative
Woori Park1, Hokyung Jin2, Yujin Heo2
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Uijeongbu Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University School of Medicine, Uijeongbu, Korea.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to compare the long-term oncologic outcomes of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) versus elective neck dissection (END) in clinically node-negative (cN0) tongue cancer.
Methods:
This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with cN0 tongue cancer from a single institution, including 91 patients in the SLNB group and 120 patients in the END group.
Results:
The overall recurrence rate showed no significant difference between the two groups. The regional control rate was also comparable between the two groups (P=0.490). The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) was slightly better in the SLNB group than in the END group (P=0.427). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 89.9% in the SLNB group versus 91.9% in the END group (P=0.737). In a propensity-matched subgroup analysis, the type of neck management did not affect RFS or OS.
Conclusion:
SLNB showed non-inferior oncologic outcomes compared to END in patients with cN0 tongue squamous cell carcinoma.
