Neck dissection in oral cancer--clinical review and analysis of prognostic factors

Latin American Consensus on the Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is well known as a serious health problem worldwide, especially in low-income countries or those with limited resources, such as most countries in Latin America. International guidelines cannot always be applied to a population from a large region with specific conditions. This study established a Latin American guideline for care of patients with head and neck cancer and presented evidence of HNSCC management considering availability and oncologic benefit. A panel composed of 41 head and neck cancer experts systematically worked according to a modified Delphi process on (1) document compilation of evidence-based answers to different questions contextualized by resource availability and oncologic benefit regarding Latin America (region of limited resources and/or without access to all necessary health care system infrastructure), (2) revision of the answers and the classification of levels of evidence and degrees of recommendations of all recommendations, (3) validation of the consensus through two rounds of online surveys, and (4) manuscript composition. The consensus consists of 12 sections: Head and neck cancer staging, Histopathologic evaluation of head and neck cancer, Head and neck surgery-oral cavity, Clinical oncology-oral cavity, Head and neck surgery-oropharynx, Clinical oncology-oropharynx, Head and neck surgery-larynx, Head and neck surgery-larynx/hypopharynx, Clinical oncology-larynx/hypopharynx, Clinical oncology-recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancer, Head and neck surgery-reconstruction and rehabilitation, and Radiation therapy. The present consensus established 48 recommendations on HNSCC patient care considering the availability of resources and focusing on oncologic benefit. These recommendations could also be used to formulate strategies in other regions like Latin America countries.

Analysis of the Role of Selective Neck Dissection in Clinically Node-Positive T3/T4 Oral Cancers

Introduction

The concept of selective neck dissection (SND) in locally advanced oral cancers is emerging. Contemporary studies support the feasibility of SND in selected node-positive oral cancers with early primaries. Nevertheless, the suitability of SND in clinically node-positive (cN+) oral cancers with advanced primaries (T3/T4) is unknown.

Aim

This study explores if patients with cN+ advanced primaries were suitable candidates for SND by spotting the involved lymph node distribution in various stations of the neck. Secondary objectives were to check if predictive clinicopathological factors for metastases to the neck in general also apply for lymph node metastases to levels IV and V.

Methods

The present retrospective study analysed the distribution of pathologically involved lymph nodes in 134 patients and explored the interrelation of various predictive factors and cervical metastases overall and those specific to levels IV and V.

Results

Level V was involved in 6.7% (6/83) of T4 and none of the T3 primaries. Depth of invasion (DOI), perineural invasion (PNI), and skin invasion were statistically significant predictors for nodal metastases in general on multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

Our analysis supports the option of considering SND, sparing level V in patients with cN+ oral cancers in a subset with T3 primary and nodal stage N2 and below.

Elective Neck Dissection for Management of Early- Stage Oral Tongue Cancer

Background

The occult neck metastasis rate is very high with tongue cancers. The aim of this study was to assess the current role of elective neck dissection (END) in management of early-stage oral tongue cancer with a focus on lymph node metastasis. In addition, effects of END on regional or systemic disease recurrence and survival were investigated.

Methods

This retrospective study included patients with stage I and II tongue cancer recruited from our National Cancer Institute (NCI) over a time period of six years (2007-2013). The collected data were analyzed for disease free survival (DFS) and recurrence rate.

Results

A total of 144 patients presented to our NCI with oral tongue cancer but only 88 were staged clinically and radiologically as early stage (stage I, stage II). Some 53% were smokers. Most lesions were dealt with by surgery, either by wide local excision (22%) or hemiglossectomy (78%). Treatment of neck lesions was either by neck dissection (85.2%) or “wait and see” (14.8%). The rates for local and nodal recurrence were 7.9% and 20.4%, respectively. Analysis of associations between DFS and different factors revealed significance for adoption of adjuvant therapy and the dissected lymph node status.

Conclusion

Controversy still exists regarding neck management.

Association between severe treatment-related lymphopenia and progression-free survival in patients with newly diagnosed squamous cell head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND

Severe treatment-related lymphopenia occurs commonly in many cancers and is associated with early tumor progression. Data are lacking as to whether this occurs in squamous cell head and neck cancer.

METHODS

Serial total lymphocyte counts were retrospectively reviewed in patients with newly diagnosed squamous head and neck cancer undergoing chemoradiation and associated with treatment outcomes.

RESULTS

The median baseline total lymphocyte count in 56 patients was 1660 cells/mm(3) , which fell by 73% to 445 cells/mm(3) 2 months after initiating chemoradiation (p < .0001). Human papillomavirus negative (HPV-) patients with a total lymphocyte count <500 cells/mm(3) at 2 months had significantly earlier disease progression than those with higher total lymphocyte counts (hazard ratio [HR], 5.75; p = .045).

CONCLUSION

Baseline total lymphocyte counts were normal, but at 2 months approximately 60% of patients had severe treatment-related lymphopenia regardless of HPV status. Severe treatment-related lymphopenia in HPV- patients is independently associated with earlier disease progression. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings, which suggest that immune preservation is important in this cancer.

Cervical lymph node metastasis from early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study demonstrated that the wait-and-watch strategy for neck metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of oral tongue is a reliable option and that salvage by surgical treatment is effective. However, younger patients should be closely monitored for recurrence. Adjuvant therapy may be recommended for patients with pathologically advanced disease.

OBJECTIVES

Metastatic involvement of cervical lymph nodes is the most important prognostic indicator in patients with oral tongue SCC. With the objective of determining the most appropriate treatment strategy for regional recurrence, we conducted a retrospective review of clinicopathologic factors.

METHODS

The clinicopathologic features of 103 patients with oral tongue SCC, in whom the local lesions were treated successfully by low-dose interstitial brachytherapy (LD-IBT), but who subsequently developed cervical lymph node metastases and were treated by salvage surgery, were reviewed.

RESULTS

In the patients who underwent surgical treatment at our hospital, 5-year disease-free survival and regional control rates were 69.3% and 85.3%, respectively. The clinicopathologic factors significantly associated with unfavorable disease-free survival were the presence of extracapsular spread (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.005, p = 0.045), multiple and large lymph nodes (HR = 2.850, p = 0.010 and HR = 3.112, p = 0.007, respectively), younger age (HR = 2.429, p = 0.048), and shorter interval from the LD-IBT to detection of neck metastasis (HR = 1.749, p = 0.013).

The treatment of oral cancer: an overview for dental professionals

Oral cancer is a serious life-threatening disease. Dental professionals may be the first individuals to identify/suspect these lesions before referring to oral and maxillofacial surgeons and oral medicine specialists. Because the general dentist will likely follow on with the patient's future oral health, it is important that he or she has a basic understanding of the various treatments involved in treating oral malignancies and their respective outcomes. The four main modalities discussed in this review include surgery alone, radiotherapy alone, surgery with radiotherapy, and chemotherapy with or without surgery and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy has become an area of great interest with the introduction of new 'targeted therapies' demonstrating promising results in conjunction with surgery. Despite these results, the toxicities associated with chemotherapy regimens are frequent and can be severe, and therefore may not be suitable for all patients. Treatment modalities have improved significantly over the decades with overall decreases in recurrence rates, improved disease-free and overall survival, and an improved quality of life. Prognosis, however, is still ultimately dependent on the clinical stage of the tumour at the initial diagnosis with respect to size, depth, extent, and metastasis as recurrence rates and survival rates plummet with disease progression.

The Hannover experience: surgical treatment of tongue cancer--a clinical retrospective evaluation over a 30 years period

Objectives

In this retrospective study, we present a clinical review of our experience with tongue cancer in order to obtain valid criteria for therapeutic decision-making.

Materials and methods

Between 1980 and 2009, a total of 341 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue were treated at our Department. The average follow-up was 5.2 years. 309 patients received surgical treatment, which was combined in nearly 10% with neoadjuvant and in nearly 20% with postoperative radio(chemo)therapy. 32 patients were excluded from surgery and received primary radiation.

Results

Local and regional failure occurred in 23.9% and 20.4%, leading to a total failure rate of 37.2% after an average duration of 1,6 years. N-Status, extracapsular spread and clear margins were identified as the dominant factors for survival, which was calculated with 54.5% after 5 years.

Conclusions

We recommend categorical bilateral neck dissection in order to reliably remove occult lymph node metastases. Adjuvant treatment modalities should be applied more frequently in controlled clinical trials and should generally be implemented in cases with unclear margins and lymphatic spread.

Clinical relevance

This study provides new treatment strategies for primary tumour disease and for tumour recurrence.

Clinical, pathological and molecular determinants in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (OCSCC) is the most frequently observed form of head-and-neck cancer in Southeast Asia and is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Most cases of this preventable disease are caused by alcohol consumption, smoking and betel nut chewing. The survival rates of patients with advanced OCSCC have not increased significantly in recent years. While treatments for OCSCC are similar worldwide, survival rates differ by geographical area. The various genetic profiles and individual genetic susceptibility for carcinogens may account for this discrepancy. In some respects, molecular alteration or accumulation affects tumor progression and the clinical outcomes among patients with OCSCC. Clarifying the tumor behavior of oral cancer, with regard to pathological features or molecular aspects, could help clinicians to judge, tailor and adopt more effective therapeutic strategies to treat oral cancer.

Impact of tumour characteristic and treatment modality on the local recurrence and the survival in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

To evaluate the impact of tumour location, local and regional advancement, histological differentiation, status of the surgical margins and radiotherapy on the disease-free time and overall survival rates in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 67 patients treated with surgery (61 pts.), radiotherapy (6 pts.) and their combination (28 pts.). Follow time on average 40 months. The probabilities of survival were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier estimates, the differences were calculated with the log-rank test. An analysis of the influence of the neck recurrences on the prognosis was additionally performed. Relationship between independent categorical variables as: primary local advancement, location of the tumour, histological grading and lymph node metastases was evaluated with Fisher's Exact Test.

RESULTS

Disease-free time rate amounted to 40.1%. There was no independent prognostic importance of primary location, T-staging and N-staging, histological grading of the tumour or radiation on disease-free time, just opposite to the status of the resection margins. However, the number of neck metastases was directly proportional to the tumour dimension and poor histological differentiation. Overall survival rate amounted to 87,5%. Posterior location in the oral cavity, involvement of cervical lymph nodes, surgical margins with the presence of tumour cells, poor histological differentiation and necessity of irradiation negatively correlated with the survival.

CONCLUSIONS

A complete resection of the tumour was the most important independent prognostic parameter for the disease-free and overall survivals in oral squamous cell carcinomas in this study. An adjuvant radiation therapy could improve the results of treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma also in cases were so far considered only for surgical management.

Elective neck dissection in early-stage oral squamous cell carcinoma--does it influence recurrence and survival?

BACKGROUND

This study investigates the influence on survival and regional control rates of neck dissection therapy at the time of surgery of the primary tumor in early stages of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity.

METHODS

A series of 154 patients with pT1N0M0 and pT2N0M0 intraoral carcinomas was analyzed retrospectively. Neck dissection was associated with tumor ablation in 87 patients (56.5%), although 67 patients (43.5%) were treated with local resection exclusively. Survival and relapse rates were studied with the Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test for univariate analysis and Cox proportional model for multivariate analysis (p < .05).

RESULTS

Regional recurrences occurred in 25 cases (16.2%), 7 cases (8%) with primary neck dissection and 18 cases (26.8%) with local excision alone. Neck dissection therapy was a significant prognostic factor for recurrences and survival (p < .05). The 5-year regional control rate was of 92.5% for patients with elective lymph node ablation versus 71.2% for patients without primary neck dissection. Neck dissection was also significant for recurrences in stage I and for survival and recurrences in stage II. Neck dissection therapy also showed independent prognostic value in the Cox analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with intraoral carcinomas, elective neck treatment should be considered even in cases with a small primary tumor and negative clinical examination because of the high incidence of occult nodal metastases and the tendency to regional recurrences.

Prognostic Predictors of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Buccal Mucosa With Negative Surgical Margins

PURPOSE

To study the prognostic factors of squamous cell carcinoma of the buccal mucosa (BMSCC) with negative surgical margins.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty-five untreated negative marginal cases were studied for predictors of recurrence, cervical lymph node metastasis, and survival. Clinicopathologic features included age, gender, duration of tumor, primary tumor (T) classification, pathologic clinical stage, tumor differentiation, tumor thickness, number of mitoses, and lymphocytic infiltration.

RESULTS

The recurrence and metastasis rate was 40% and 44.4%, respectively. With univariate analysis, the predictors of recurrence were T classification, tumor differentiation, pathologic clinical stage, and lymphocytic infiltration. Average tumor thickness was greater than 5.68 mm. For cervical lymph node metastasis, the predictors include T classification, tumor differentiation, and lymphocytic infiltration. Tumor thickness was greater than 5.17 mm; number of mitoses was greater than 2.92/high power field (HPF). With logistical regression, only tumor thickness was the predictor of recurrence. T classification and tumor thickness were the predictors for cervical lymph node metastasis. Using Cox multivariate proportional hazards regression model, the survival disadvantage factors were T classification and recurrence. The hazard grand for T classification was 2.185; for recurrence it was 74.808.

CONCLUSIONS

Because T classification (between T1+T2 and T3+T4) and tumor thickness (more than 5.17 mm) were the predictors for cervical lymph node metastasis, neck dissection should be carried out routinely in T3 and T4 patients; whereas for T1 and T2 patients, neck dissection is necessary if tumor thickness is greater than 5.17 mm. T classification and recurrence are predictive factors for survival.

Histopathological prognosticators in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Histopathological assessment of the surgical resection specimen continues to provide information that is central to determining the post-operative treatment needs and prognosis for an individual patient with oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. This review describes the prognostic value of histopathological features related to the primary tumour and the cervical lymph nodes, and considers their relative merits. In addition, a brief overview of more general patient factors is included. Throughout the review, guidance is offered on practical aspects of the histopathological assessment together with brief mention of potential inaccuracies. Emphasis is given also to the importance of the partnership between the surgeon and the pathologist, the need for standardisation during all stages of the histopathological assessment, and the value of accurate documentation of the findings.

Comparison of CT and MR imaging for the detection of extranodal neoplastic spread in metastatic neck nodes

PURPOSE

To compare computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for the detection of extranodal neoplastic spread (ENS) in metastatic cervical nodes from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

17 patients with a squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck underwent CT and MR imaging. The neck nodes were assessed for ENS and the results compared using pathology from the surgical resection.

RESULTS

Radiologic-pathologic correlation was performed in 51 malignant nodes. The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were respectively 73, 65, 93% for CT, and 80, 78, 86% for MR imaging. Comparison of CT and MR imaging showed that there was no significant difference between the two modalities for either sensitivity (P = 0.1317) or specificity (P = 0.3173).

CONCLUSION

CT and MR imaging are comparable for the detection of ENS.