[Clinicopathologic features and prognostic factors of cervical lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
The cervical lymphatic meta-static rate of oral squamous carcinoma is 50%-59%. The management of cervical lymphatic metastasis relates with prognosis of patients with oral squamous carcinoma. This study was to investigate the clinicopathologic features and prognosis factors of cervical lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma.


METHODS
Clinicopathologic data of 191 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively reviewed. The relationship between histopathologic factors and cervical lymph node metastasis was evaluated by univariate Chi(2) test. Cox regression model was used to analyze impacts of pathologic factors of cervical lymph nodes, such as metastatic status, size and number of positive neck nodes,levels of positive nodes, the lowest involved nodal level, on prognosis.


RESULTS
The overall 5-year survival rate of the 191 patients was 48.7%. Univariate Chi(2) test confirmed that only depth of primary tumor infiltration correlated to cervical lymph node metastasis. Cox regression analysis revealed that clinical N stage, cervical lymphatic metastatic status, number of involved levels, and the lowest involved nodal level affected prognosis of patients, the most significant prognostic factors of cervical lymph node were clinical N stage, and the lowest involved nodal level.


CONCLUSIONS
Cervical lymph node metastasis is a significant prognostic factor of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The identification of metastatic patterns of cervical lymph nodes, and the management targeting pathologic factors of cervical lymph node affecting survival are critical for improving the treatment effect on oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Li
Xiao-Ming
XM
Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery/PLA Center for Otolaryngological Diseases, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050082, P. R. China. xml-968@yahoo.com
DI
Bin
B
Shang
Yao-Dong
YD
Li
Jun
J
Cheng
Ji-Min
JM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D015996:Survival Rate