title: Elective Neck Dissection in patients with stage T1-T2N0 carcinoma of the anterior tongue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The presence of neck metastases represents one of the most important prognostic factors for carcinomas of the anterior tongue, the five-year survival rate being under 20% in patients with regional metastases. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy of prophylactic selective neck dissection in patients without detectable nodal metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A matched case-control study with prospective follow up was conducted in ENT Department of Coltea Clinical Hospital for 86 patients with T1-T2N0 stage carcinoma of the anterior tongue surgically treated between January 2000 and January 2005 with or without concurrent selective supraomohyoid neck dissection (SND). The patients were divided in two groups, comparable in age and sex distribution. Descriptive statistics, risk of recurrences, Kaplan Maier five-year survival curves and the global and specific mortality rates were performed using EpiInfo software. The level of significance was established at p<0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a mean follow-up time of 90.5 months, for all variables considered as outcomes of SND efficacy evaluation, significance differences (p < 0.05) were registered between groups: the frequency of patients who developed neck metastases was lower in the group of subjects who underwent prophylactic selective neck dissection; the all-cause mortality rate at the end of the follow-up period was three times lower in SND study group compared with controls; the specific mortality rate due to regional recurrences was five times lower in test-group compared with controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggest that prophylactic selective neck dissection could be indicated for patients with T1-T2N0 carcinomas of the anterior tongue in order to increase both overall and free of recurrence survival time, respectivelly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Elias University Emergency Hospital.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mirea
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Colţea Clinical Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grigore
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Elias University Emergency Hospital.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Safta
authors.affiliation: Departament of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Bucharest Emergency Clinical Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mirea
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Colţea Clinical Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
authors.forename: Cr
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Colţea Clinical Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Colţea Clinical Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
authors.forename: Svg
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berteşteanu
keywords: Anterior tongue carcinoma; N0 neck; neck dissection