Management of the neck and regional recurrence in squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary alveolus and hard palate compared with other sites in the oral cavity.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this article was to assess the management of the neck and regional recurrence for squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary alveolus and hard palate (n = 43) and compare that to the rest of the oral cancer sites (n = 465).


METHODS
This is a retrospective report through database and case note review.


RESULTS
The incidence of nodal metastases (pathologic node-positive necks added to regional recurrence for clinical N0 and pathologic N0) was 37% (16/43) for maxillary alveolus and hard palate compared with 40% (187/465) for the oral cavity in general. Regional recurrence occurred in 26% (11/43) in the maxillary alveolus and hard palate compared with 7% (31/465) in the remaining oral cavity sites (p = .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Squamous cell carcinoma arising in the maxillary alveolus and hard palate has a similar risk of regional metastasis as the rest of the oral cavity, and a lower propensity for selective neck dissection is resulting in higher regional recurrence and lower survival rates.
Regional Head and Neck Unit, Aintree University Hospital, Lower Lane, Liverpool, United Kingdom. brownjs@doctors.org.uk
James S
JS
Brown
Fazilet
F
Bekiroglu
Richard J
RJ
Shaw
Julia A
JA
Woolgar
Simon N
SN
Rogers
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008441:Maxillary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome