title: The effect of tumor width and depth on extracapsular lymp node metastases in tongue tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we investigate the relationship between the effects of tumor width and depth with the extracapsular nodal spread (ECS) in oral tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study we investigate retrospectively data of 107 patients (69 males, 38 females; mean age 45 years; range 25 to 79 years) with tongue tumors, who had undergone surgery in our clinic, between 1994 and 2004. Twenty-one of them had ECS. The effects of tumor width and depth on various parameters such as nodal metastases, survival, grade and ECS are investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that tumor width and depth were the most important factors that affect ECS and logistic regression analysis point out tumor width influence more than tumor depth. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis shows us when tumor width exceeds 3.7 cm or tumor depth exceeds 2.4 cm, rate of ECS reaches the maximum sensitivity and specificity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tumor width and depth has affects on survival and prognosis but also they have significant relation with ECS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Diyarbakir Training and Research Hospital, Diyarbakir, Turkey. muratulusan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ulusan
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Enöz
authors.forename: Tolgar Lütfi
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Kumral
authors.forename: Yusufhan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Süoğlu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D003778:Dentures / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D015996:Survival Rate; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary