title: Management of neck metastases in T2N0 lip squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prophylactic neck dissection (PND) is indicated when the chance of occult lymph node metastases from head and neck tumors is significant. There is no consensus regarding which tumor size PND would be indicated in cases of lip cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 139 patients with surgically treated lip cancer were selected. The size of the lesion (T) and the presence of lymph node metastases (N) were assessed by examining the medical records. For analysis purposes, the T2 group was divided into T2a (2 to 3 cm) and T2b (3 to 4 cm).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following distribution of incidence of neck metastases was observed in the study groups: 11.7% in T1, 9% in T2a, 43.7% in T2b, and 52.2% in T3+T4. Statistical comparison of the groups (p) revealed the following results: T2aXT2b=0.03; T2aXT3+T4=0.001.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PND is indicated for tumors larger than 3 cm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. jpmvanderlei@hotmail.com
authors.forename: João Paulo de Medeiros
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vanderlei
authors.forename: Francisco Januário Farias
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Pereira-Filho
authors.forename: Fernanda Aguiar
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: da Cruz
authors.forename: Fábio Longarini Veríssimo
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: de Mello
authors.forename: Leonardo de Souza
authors.initials: Lde S
authors.lastname: Kruschewsky
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos Conti
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: de Freitas
authors.forename: Francisco Veríssimo
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: de Mello-Filho
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck