title: Tumour depth of invasion of pT1 squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue and risk of pathologically detected neck metastases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumour depth of invasion (TDI) is considered a predictor of pathologically detected neck metastases (PDNM) for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), but different investigators have arrived at different cut-off of TDI. However, the relationship between TDI of pT1 SCC of the oral tongue and PDNM remains unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was collected for patients with pT1SCC of the oral tongue. TDI, neurovascular invasion, pattern of invasion and presence of PDNM were recorded. The relationship between data was studied using logistic regression and ROC methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With all other factors held constant, data showed that the odds ratio for each millimetre increase in TDI and risk of PDNM was 1.09 (95% CI: 0.95 - 1.25, p = 0.234), which was insignificant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TDI is not accurate and cannot be used as predictor of PDNM in patients with pT1 SCC of the tongue. Further, true TDI can only be assessed on resection specimens. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Muammar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abu-Serriah
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Pathology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Ketan A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Ramanan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajamanohara
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Head and Neck Surgery Supra-regional Unit, Churchill Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust., Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Adekunmi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fasanmade
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Head and Neck Surgery Supra-regional Unit, Churchill Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust., Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Graystone
authors.affiliation: Centre for Statistics in Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gerry
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Head and Neck Surgery Supra-regional Unit, Churchill Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust., Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bond
keywords: Oral tongue; neck metastasis; squamous cell carcinoma; tumour depth of invasion; tumour thickness