title: Efficacy of routine bilateral neck dissection in the management of the N0 neck in T1-T2 unilateral supraglottic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of the clinically negative (N0) neck in supraglottic laryngeal cancer continues to be an area of controversy. The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term efficacy of routine bilateral neck dissection compared with ipsilateral neck dissection in T1-T2 N0 lateral supraglottic carcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of 108 patients who underwent surgery for T1-T2 supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma was performed. Forty-eight had undergone ipsilateral functional neck dissection, and 60 had undergone bilateral functional neck dissections. None of these patients received adjuvant radiotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences (p = .78) in regional recurrence were observed between the patients treated with bilateral neck dissection (13%) and those treated with ipsilateral neck dissection (17%). The 5-year survival rates were 73% and 80% for the patients who received a bilateral and ipsilateral neck dissection, respectively (p = .51).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that routine bilateral neck dissection may not be necessary in the surgical treatment of all supraglottic cancers.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, C/Celestino Villamil SN, 33006 Oviedo, Spain. juanpablo.rodrigo@sespa.princast.es
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cabanillas
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suárez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000145:classification / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005931:Glottis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome