Supraomohyoid neck dissection in cancer of the oral cavity.
BACKGROUND
In oral cavity cancer, supraomohyoid neck dissection (SOHND) is becoming more popular for patients with N0 and N1 disease in the neck. The aim of this study was to assess the value of this surgical procedure.


METHODS
The study included 237 previously untreated patients with oral cavity cancer. The neck treatment consisted of SOHND or functional neck dissection (FND). One hundred sixty patients underwent postoperative radiation therapy. Survival probabilities, neck recurrences, and distant metastases were analyzed according to the surgical procedure.


RESULTS
For patients having undergone SOHND, the 5-year survival probabilities were 70.2% and 76.5% in N0 and N1 necks, respectively. The neck recurrence rate in SOHND was 2%.


CONCLUSIONS
SOHND is an effective method of treatment for the clinically negative neck in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. It also proves efficient, in conjunction with postoperative radiotherapy, for control of neck metastases in selected patients.
Majoufre
C
C
Department of Maxillofacial and Plastic Surgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, France.
Faucher
A
A
Laroche
C
C
De Bonfils
C
C
Siberchicot
F
F
Renaud-Salis
J L
JL
Pinsolle
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D009333:Neck / Q000473:pathology; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome