title: [The relationship between different types of lymph node metastasis and contralateral neck metastasis and their impact on prognosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between different types of lymph node metastasis and contralateral neck metastasis and their impacts on prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and forty-eight patients with supraglottic carcinomas and complete follow-up were analyzed retrospectively. Transparent lymph node detection and continuous sectioning methods were applied on postoperative neck specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cervical lymph node metastases were found in 115 patients and the lymph node metastatic rate was 46.4%. There were three types of lymph node metastases, 39 cases with single type, 34 with multiple type, 42 with fusion type. Contralateral metastatic rates were 5.1%, 44.1% and 61.9% in single, multiple and fusion type respectively. Contralateral metastasis was also related with tumor extension across midline and clinical N stages. The 3- and 5-year survival rates were 79.5% and 74.4% in single type, 61.8% and 41.2% in multiple type, 61.9% and 35.7% in fusion type.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bilateral neck dissections should be undertaken in multiple and fusion types of lymph node metastasis. The lymph node metastatic type should be an important criteria to judge prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, China. guanchao999@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Zimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Xuejun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies