Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Squamous carcinoma presenting as an enlarged cervical lymph node

A S Jones1, J A Cook, D E Phillips

  • 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Liverpool, England.

Cancer
|September 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

Patients with unknown primary head and neck cancer have a poor prognosis if the primary site is never found or is outside the head and neck region. Early detection of a head and neck primary improves survival rates.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A New Era of Morphological Investigations: Reviewing Methods for Comparative Anatomical Studies.

Integrative organismal biology (Oxford, England)·2023
Same author

Hepatopathy in Victorian dogs consuming pet meat contaminated with indospicine.

Australian veterinary journal·2022
Same author

Unusual Presentation of an Ovarian Cyst: Successful Laparoscopic Excision.

Journal of minimally invasive gynecology·2016
Same author

Accurate Identification of Anatomical Structures in a Normal Female Pelvis During Laparoscopic Surgery: A Survey Amongst Trainees and Consultants in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Journal of minimally invasive gynecology·2016
Same author

Long-term recurrence rates following excision and cartilage rim shave of chondrodermatitis nodularis chronica helicis and antihelicis.

Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery·2014
Same author

Micro-computed tomography: an alternative method for shark ageing.

Journal of fish biology·2012

Area of Science:

  • Head and Neck Surgery
  • Oncology
  • Diagnostic Cytology

Background:

  • Enlarged cervical lymph nodes with squamous cell carcinoma present a significant challenge for head and neck surgeons.
  • Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology aids in accurate clinical identification and investigation of these patients.
  • The primary tumor is often located in the head and neck region.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the outcomes of patients with enlarged cervical lymph nodes containing squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary.
  • To identify factors influencing survival in this patient cohort.
  • To evaluate the diagnostic yield of various investigations for primary tumor detection.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 267 patient records from The Head and Neck Unit at The University of Liverpool over a 29-year period.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of 5-year survival rates based on primary site detection and location.
  • Multivariate analysis to identify prognostic factors.

    • Main Results:

    • The overall 5-year survival rate was 27%.
    • Survival was 31% when the primary site was detected in the head and neck region.
    • Primary sites outside the head and neck region or undiscovered primaries were associated with a disastrous prognosis, with no 5-year survivors.
    • Late diagnosis of a head and neck primary site was associated with improved survival.
    • Open biopsy of lymph node metastasis, advanced age, and advanced N stage were adverse prognostic factors.

    Conclusions:

    • Patients with unknown primary head and neck cancer have a prognosis similar to those with known primaries if the primary is in the head and neck.
    • Prognosis is dire if the primary site remains undiscovered or is located outside the head and neck.
    • Treatment is beneficial when the primary is in the head and neck, offering a chance for cure.
    • Palliative treatment is recommended when the primary is not in the head and neck region.