title: Elective treatment of the neck for second primary tumors of the head and neck.
abstract: The aim of this study was to define the role of elective neck dissection in patients with a second N0 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We carried out a retrospective study in 74 patients with a second N0 HNSCC treated with an elective neck dissection. Thirteen patients (17.6%) had occult neck node metastases. The risk of occult neck nodes was low for patients with a second glottic tumor (0%), and for patients with non-glottic T1-T2 tumors who had received previous radiotherapy in the neck (5.3%). Patients with non-glottic locally advanced tumors (T3-T4) and non-glottic T1-T2 tumors who had not received previous radiotherapy in the neck had a risk of occult neck nodes of 28.1 and 33.3%, respectively. Elective neck dissection could be omitted in patients with glottic tumors and in patients with an early tumor (T1-T2) who had received previous radiotherapy in the neck.
authors.affiliation: Otorhinolaryngology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), S. Antonio Mª Claret 167, 08025, Barcelona, Spain, xleon@santpau.cat.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: León
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pedemonte
authors.forename: Jacinto
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quer
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010039:Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies