Management of the neck in nonmelanocytic cutaneous carcinomas

Cutaneous malignancies are the most common causes of cancer in the United States, and the preponderance occur in the head and neck region. From 0.3% to 13.7% of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas and from 0.0028% to 0.4% of cutaneous basal cell carcinomas metastasize to the cervical nodes. A description of the head and neck cutaneous lymphatic drainage is presented, followed by recommendations regarding neck dissection modifications appropriate to the primary sites and nodal eschalons involved.