[Metastatic cervical adenopathies of unknown primary site. Long-term course]

We conducted a retrospective study of 34 patients treated by radical neck dissection followed by radiotherapy for one or several cervical adenopathies without a primary tumor. Mean follow-up was 48 months. During follow-up, 6 patients developed a presumed primary tumor, and 11 patients presented with recurrent lymph nodes. We found no statistically significant predictive factor, as to either clinical characteristics or the histological nature of the adenopathies. On the other hand, the number of metastatic lymph nodes found on the surgical specimen was correlated with the risk of lymph node recurrence. Among the prognostic factors with an unfavorable effect on survival, the dimensions of the adenopathy, its fixed characteristic and its TNM status, were identified. In this series, the appearance of a primary tumor did not seem to worsen the prognosis. On the other hand, the appearance of lymph node recurrence predicted poorer survival rates. The results are discussed and compared with those found in the literature.