Occult metastases from supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma

One hundred and sixty-one patients with a supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma and clinically negative neck were studied. All patients had primary surgery and occult cervical node metastases were found in 18% (29/161). Local dissemination of tumour in the epilarynx did not influence the incidence of occult metastases, while the incidence of occult metastases increased with the degree of local spread in the supraglottis excluding the epilarynx. Ipsilateral occult metastases were more common (76%, 22/29), but both bilateral and contralateral spread was also seen (14%, 4/29 and 10%, 3/29, respectively).