title: Prospective randomized study of selective neck dissection versus observation for N0 neck of early tongue carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are controversies on the benefits of elective neck dissection (END) for oral tongue carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective randomized study of elective selective I, II, III neck dissection versus observation for N0 neck of stage I to II oral tongue carcinoma. There were 35 patients on the observation arm and 36 patients on the END arm. The main outcome assessment parameters are node-related mortality and disease-specific survival rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 11 patients in the observed arm and 2 patients in the END arm who developed nodal recurrence alone without associated local or distant recurrence. All 13 patients were salvaged, and no patient died of nodal recurrence. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 87% for the observation arm and was 89% for the END arm; the 2% difference was not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Observation may be an acceptable alternative to END if strict adherence to a cancer surveillance protocol is followed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. pwyuen@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: Anthony Po-Wing
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: Chiu Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Tam Lin
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Lap Chiu
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Wing Yung
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Raymond Wai-Man
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: William Ignace
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Chi Kwan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Kwok Shing
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Book
authors.forename: Wai Cheung
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: Alfred King-Yin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Nancy Wah-Fun
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: Nigel Jeremy
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Trendell-Smith
authors.forename: Yue Wai
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Birgitta Yee-Hang
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: George Kam-Hop
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ambrose Chung-Wai
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Wai Kuen
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Sau Yan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Tzy-Jyun
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019370:Observation / Q000379:methods*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome