title: Sentinel lymph node biopsy in cN0 squamous cell carcinoma of the lip: A retrospective study.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in clinically lymph node-negative (cN0) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lip deemed high risk for occult nodal metastasis.
  
  
  
  Twenty-six patients with cT1 to T2 cN0 with SCC of the lip underwent SLNB at a tertiary referral center between January 2001 and March 2012. Initial staging methods were clinical examination only (65.4%), ultrasound (23.1%), or CT (11.5%). Operations were performed with the patients under local anesthesia with sedation (50%) or general anesthesia (50%).
  
  
  
  The mean follow-up time was 53 months. Three patients (11.5%) had a positive sentinel node and were upstaged. One SLNB-related complication was observed. Regional recurrence occurred in 2 patients (7.7%). The relationship between regional status and both tumor diameter and tumor thickness was statistically significant (p < .05).
  
  
  
  SLNB can be a viable staging technique in SCC of the lip. Tumor diameter of ≥ 20 mm and increasing tumor thickness seem to delineate higher risk for regional disease in our study. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1375-E1380, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Töölö Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Erik Mikael Jan
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sollamo
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Töölö Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Suvi Kristiina
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ilmonen
authors.affiliation: Haartman Institute of Pathology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Maria Susanna
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Virolainen
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Töölö Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Sinikka Hilkka Helena
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Suominen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008046:Lip / Q000473:pathology; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
keywords: Sentinel lymph node biopsy; carcinoma; head and neck neoplasms; lip neoplasms; lymphatic metastasis; squamous cell