Predictive Markers for Late Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis in Patients with N0 Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Tongue (original) (raw)

Objective: To find useful markers for predicting late cervical metastasis in patients with N0 squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Patients and Methods: The clinicopathological features of 57 consecutive patients with previously untreated N0 squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue were reviewed. Thirty patients had T1 disease, 20 had T2 disease, and 7 had T3 disease. All patients were treated with partial glossectomy without elective neck dissection. Clinicopathological factors were analysed to determine the factors predicting late cervical lymph node metastasis. Results: The overall cervical lymph node metastasis rate was 19.3%. The clinicopathologic factors significantly associated with the development of cervical lymph node metastasis were tumour size (30 mm), tumour depth (4 mm), differentiation (moderate), mode of invasion (G4C, 4D), microvascular invasion (present), muscle invasion (present), and invasive front grading (12 points). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, invasive front grading ≥12 points in squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue with a tumour depth ≥4 mm had predictive value for late cervical lymph node metastasis.