title: Impact of neck dissection in early tongue and buccal cancer without neck extension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of elective neck dissection in early stage tongue and buccal squamous cell carcinoma with negative neck lymph nodes is still controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed patients with T1-2N0M0 buccal and tongue cancer who underwent primary tumour excision with or without elective neck dissection between January 1997 and December 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elective neck dissection specifically improved disease-free survival of T2N0M0 buccal cancer and overall survival of T2N0M0 tongue cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elective neck dissection seems to improve the disease-free survival rate of T2N0M0 buccal cancer and the overall survival rate of T2N0M0 tongue cancer but has no beneficial effect on the survival rate of T1N0M0 buccal and tongue cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: T-C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Y-A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Tsou
authors.forename: M-H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: H-C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: D-T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Bau
authors.forename: M-H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D002610:Cheek; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D009333:Neck; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery