title: Sentinel node biopsy as an alternative to elective neck dissection for staging of early oral carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We report the outcome of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) for staging the neck in a consecutive cohort of 34 patients with T1/2 clinically N0 oral carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  SNB was performed along with resection of primary tumor. Neck dissection was reserved for failure of SNB or pathologically positive sentinel nodes (pN+).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sentinel node identification was successful in 32 of 34 patients (94%); 2 patients with unsuccessful SNB underwent immediate neck dissection. Seven patients (21%) were pN+, 6 by SNB and 1 by elective neck dissection (END). Among 29 patients who were pN0 on SNB, nodal recurrence developed in 2 patients; both were surgically salvaged. Local failure developed in 1 patient. Two-year overall and disease-free survival was 87% and 80%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Successful eradication of lymphatic metastasis noted in this study suggests that SNB may be a safe alternative to END for neck staging in patients with early oral carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D016019:Survival Analysis
keywords: elective neck dissection; oral cancer; sentinel node biopsy