title: [The risk factor for metastasis in Level IV in tongue cancer patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the risk factor for metastasis in Level IV of ipsilateral neck in tongue cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 248 tongue caner paitents (255 necks) that underwent radical neck dissection was enrolled in the study. Chi-square test and Logistic regression analysis were used to determine the factors associated with metastasis in Level IV. The variable included age, sex, growth type, T stage, histopathological grade, Level III involvement, number of positive lymph nodes in Levels I-III.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 147 cases (152 necks) with positive lymph node, 21 necks (8.2%, 21/255) had Level III involvement, and 2 necks (0.8%, 2/255) developed skip metastasis. Chi-square test showed that age (P = 0.020), Level III involvement (P = 0.000), number of positive Level (≥ 2 Levels) in Levels I-III (P = 0.006), and number of positive lymph node (≥ 3 nodes) in Levels I-III (P = 0.000) were identified as independent risk factor. Logistic regression analysis revealed that only Level III involvement (P = 0.003) was the risk factor for metastasis in Level IV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In tongue cancer patients, Level III involvement was a high risk factor for metastasis in Level IV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxifacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Chuanzhen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxifacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China; Email: guodazuo@sina.com.
authors.forename: Chuanbin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck; D037981:Neck Dissection; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*