[Surgical management for occult cervical metastasis of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: In oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the management for clinically negative (cN0) neck remains controversial. This study was to explore rational neck management for cN0 cases.

METHODS: Clinical data of 187 patients with oral tongue SCC of cN0, who received surgery alone, were retrospectively reviewed. Rules of occult nodal metastasis, factors that impact cervical node metastasis, and prognostic factors were analyzed. Neck recurrences of different treatment groups were compared.

RESULT: Incidence of occult nodal metastasis in all patients was 23.0% (43/187). The most common site of occult nodal metastases was ipsilateral level II. About 83.0% of occult nodal metastases were found in ipsilateral levels I, II, and III. Pathologic grade was an independent influencing factor for occult neck metastases. Occult neck metastasis was an independent prognostic factor for oral tongue SCC. Supraomohyoid neck dissection (SOHND) was an effective therapeutic method for oral tongue SCC of cN0; the neck recurrence rate after SOHND was only 6.7%.

CONCLUSIONS: SOHND is the effective and safe treatment for oral tongue SCC.