title: Submandibular gland involvement in early stage oral cavity carcinomas: can the gland be left behind?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of submandibular gland involvement in early oral cavity tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  ENT Department, CMH, Rawalpindi, from January 2008 to December 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 110 oral cavity tumors operated over 2008 - 2011 was retrieved from ENT OPD, tumor registry in AFIP and from Head and Neck Oncology Forum Registry. Cases of oral cavity tumors that had undergone elective neck dissections were retrospectively studied for invasion of the submandibular gland, TNM Staging, perineural, perivascular, lymphovascular invasion, site specific frequency of oral cavity tumors and frequency of lymph node metastasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tumors of tongue were the most common constituting 42%, squamous cell carcinoma was the histological diagnosis in 90% cases. Sixty eight (61.8%) cases were node negative. Selective neck dissection was done in 55.5% of the cases. Submandibular gland was involved in 2 cases (1.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Submandibular gland metastasis from early oral cavity tumors is rare; any neoplastic involvement of the gland usually occurs via direct spread.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Quetta.
authors.forename: Kamran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ashfaq
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Muhammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashfaq
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Quetta.
authors.forename: Attique
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Quetta.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Muhammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azhar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009333:Neck / Q000473:pathology; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013365:Submandibular Gland Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery