title: Late nodal metastasis of T2 oral cancer can be reduced by a combination of preoperative ultrasonographic examination and frozen section biopsy during supraomohyoid neck dissection.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The occult metastasis rate for T2 oral cancer can be reduced by ultrasonography (US). Also, the late metastasis rate is considered to be reduced by combining US with frozen section biopsy (FSB) during supraomohyoid neck dissection (SOHND).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Early oral cancer has been reported to show occult metastases in 15-53% of patients, but the criteria or methods for the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis are unclear in many studies, and there is no clear definition of occult metastasis. In patients with T2 oral cancer, the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis by US and its pathological diagnosis (pN) after neck dissection were compared to evaluate the usefulness and limitations of US, occult metastasis rate, significance of SOHND as preventive neck dissection, and use of FSB.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 73 patients with T2 oral cancer were investigated retrospectively. Modified radical neck dissection (MRND) was performed in N+ patients, and SOHND was carried out in N0 patients. FSB was performed in all patients undergoing SOHND. US and pN diagnoses were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The occult metastasis rate was 18% when occult metastases were limited to those detected by SOHND and 22% when late nodal recurrences were also included.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan. oto038@poh.osaka-med.ac.jp
authors: Koutetsu
authors: K
authors: Lee
authors: Shuji
authors: S
authors: Nishikawa
authors: Katsuhiro
authors: K
authors: Yoshimura
authors: Ryo
authors: R
authors: Kawata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009333:Neck; D037981:Neck Dissection; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult