Outcomes of selective neck dissection in node positive oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

Management of the neck in oral cavity squamous carcinoma is debatable. The role of selective neck dissection (SND) in node positive neck in oral SCC is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of SND for the node positive neck in patients with oral cancer. A retrospective chart review was done of 424 oral cancer patients undergoing SND, who had pathologically node positive disease on histopathology treated from January 2017 to September 2024. A total of 424 patients were analysed with 82% male predominance. The median age was 49 years. The commonest primary site was the bucco-alveolar complex (60%). A total of 520 SNDs were done in 424 patients. At median follow up of 29 months, 59 patients (13.9%) had neck recurrence among which 15 patients had recurrence at level V, along with recurrence at other nodal levels. Three-year regional control was 82%, while DFS and OS were 65% and 81%, respectively. For oral cancer with a pathologically node positive neck, SND is an effective and oncologically safe treatment. Outcomes are similar to modified neck dissection, as reported in the literature.