Immunohistochemical detection of cervical lymph node micrometastases from T2N0 tongue cancer.
CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that extensive, multiple cervical micrometastases occurred from an early stage in patients with T2N0 tongue cancer. The presence of micrometastases suggests the necessity of preventive neck dissection for Level I-IV nodes as a radical treatment.


OBJECTIVE
Cervical lymph node metastases occur with a relatively high frequency in patients with T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, and control of the metastases greatly influences the prognosis of patients. In this study, micrometastases in the cervical lymph nodes were investigated to clarify the necessity and required extent of preventive neck dissection.


METHODS
We investigated micrometastases in 24 subjects who had previously been diagnosed with T2N0 tongue cancer. We performed immunostaining with anti-cytokeratin antibody cocktail AE1/AE3 of sections of 401 paraffin-embedded lymph nodes obtained from these patients.


RESULTS
Micrometastases were observed in 14 patients (58%) and were most abundant in Level II nodes (n=11; 46%). Micrometastases were observed in the Level IV nodes of 3 patients (13%), and upstaging to pN2b occurred in 7 patients (29%).
Yoshida
Kazuhide
K
Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Oita, Japan.
Kashima
Kenji
K
Suenaga
Satoshi
S
Nomi
Nozomi
N
Shuto
Jun
J
Suzuki
Masashi
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004396:Coloring Agents; D007633:Keratins