title: Efficacy of radical neck dissection for the control of cervical metastasis after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Fifty-one patients who had persistent or recurrent neck disease from nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy underwent radical neck dissection. The follow-up period ranged from 0.5 to 9 years (median: 2 years). Multiple cervical lymph node involvement was present in 51% of the patients (26 of 51). Malignant cells were detected in 88% of the resected specimens (45 of 51). The clinical sign of fixation of lymph node is the only factor that affects the successful control of neck disease (p = 0.04). Extracapsular extension of the nodal disease was present, and 35% of the lymph nodes were adherent to surrounding structures at operation (18 of 51). There was one hospital mortality and the overall morbidity was minimal. The actuarial survival at 5 years was 38%, and the probability of control of neck disease was 66%. Radical neck dissection is effective in controlling post-irradiation cervical metastasis from nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital.
authors.forename: W I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sham
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D037981:Neck Dissection; D015996:Survival Rate