title: Feasibility and relevance of level I substation node counts in oropharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: The inclusion of level I in neck dissections for oropharyngeal carcinoma remains controversial. Our objectives were to evaluate the feasibility and relevance of substation node counts in level I of the neck dissection and to determine the specific substation location of metastases in level I in oropharyngeal carcinoma.
  
  
  
  Sixty specimens were retrospectively analyzed after an orientation using a new paradigm of demarcating level I specimens into 8 substations.
  
  
  
  Three of the specimens (5%) in this study showed nodal metastasis in level I, one each in 3 different substations. All positive nodes in level I were associated with N+ disease in level II with 2 being radiographically occult (3.3%). Average total node count for level I was 8.1 (range, 2-19).
  
  
  
  In oropharyngeal carcinoma, substation level I node quantification is feasible and relevant. This study shows a 5% risk to level I with metastasis in 3 different substations. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38:1194-1200, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Christopher H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Rassekh
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Bert W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: O'Malley
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Arnaud F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Bewley
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Kathleen T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Montone
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Virginia A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Livolsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: neck dissection; oropharyngeal cancer; substations