Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma metastasis to the submandibular gland.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of submandibular gland metastases in cases of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.


METHODS
Sixty-nine patients treated between 1 January 2004 and 30 June 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were treated with wide local excision of the primary tumour, plus simultaneous neck dissection and reconstruction if required.


RESULTS
Of 69 submandibular glands from 46 men and 23 women (mean age, 58 years), 43 (62.3 per cent) had advanced, tumour stage three or four lesions. Histopathological reappraisal of all submandibular glands demonstrated an absence of metastatic spread. Only 2/69 (2.9 per cent) submandibular glands demonstrated ipsilateral contiguous tumour involvement.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated an absence of metastasis to the submandibular gland from oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. Patients with early stage oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma and with a pre-operative node stage zero neck may be candidates for preservation of the submandibular gland during neck dissection.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. tesuven@gmail.com
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000601:surgery; D013365:Submandibular Gland Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology