title: Questionable necessity to remove the submandibular gland in neck dissection.
abstract: Saliva is of major importance in taste, speech, swallowing, and protection against dental caries. Neck dissection surgery and/or radiotherapy may impair the function of the submandibular glands. Over the years, there has been a trend toward more conservative approaches to neck dissection. Metastasis to the submandibular gland itself is extremely rare and if removal of the lymph nodes of sublevel IB is imperative, it seems feasible to preserve the submandibular gland, unless it is involved by direct tumor extension of the primary tumor or the adjacent metastatic lymph nodes. Clinical studies to validate this concept are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Takes
authors.forename: K Thomas
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Robbins
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Woolgar
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rinaldo
authors.forename: Carl E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Silver
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olofsson
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferlito
mesh_terms: D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012463:Saliva; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000601:surgery*