title: Treatment of cT1N0M0 tongue cancer: outcome and prognostic parameters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study was to summarize the treatment and outcomes of cT1N0M0 tongue cancer for which the management is less defined.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 65 consecutive cases of cT1 tongue cancer were retrospectively reviewed. The Fisher exact, χ(2), and Wilcoxon tests were used to statistically analyze the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The tumor depth had a significant relation to the presence of neck metastasis (P < .05). A 3-mm cutoff point provided better predictive value, with a sensitivity of 92.9% and specificity of 43.1%. The biopsy depth combined with palpation was accurate in determining the tumor depth preoperatively in 87.7%. On multivariate analysis, only the tumor site (ventral tongue) and the presence of erythroleukoplakia had any significant relation to disease-free survival (P = .010).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elective neck dissection should be considered for patients with cT1N0 oral tongue squamous carcinoma with a biopsy depth of 3 mm or greater. The biopsy depth, combined with the clinical examination findings, is a useful method to help determine the tumor depth preoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Stomatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China. Electronic address: drtzhang@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Joshua E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lubek
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salama
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Donita
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dyalram
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Doctoral Fellow, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Xinggang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ord
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005927:Glossectomy; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult