title: The submandibular triangle in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx.
abstract: A 15-year retrospective analysis was carried out at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, reviewing the tumor staging and pathology data of 239 patients treated for carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx requiring laryngectomy alone, laryngectomy with neck dissection, or laryngopharyngectomy and neck dissection. Surgery was the primary treatment modality in 205 of the 239 cases, with the remaining 34 having surgery to treat radiation therapy failure. Primary tumors were located within the supraglottic region, the glottic region and, less commonly, the pyriform sinus. Ninety-five of the 239 patients either presented with or developed nodal metastases following initial treatment. Of these, only two had tumors within the lymph nodes of the submandibular triangle. This data corroborates impressions that tumors of the larynx and hypopharynx rarely metastasize to the submandibular triangle and that sparing this area during neck dissection for lesions of the larynx would seem justified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Illinois, College of Medicine, Chicago 60612.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Wenig
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Applebaum
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007825:Laryngectomy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D009333:Neck / Q000473:pathology*; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010611:Pharyngectomy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate