Prognostic value of level IV metastases from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of level IV metastases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The clinical and histopathological data of 111 patients with HNSCC with pN+ neck who underwent a primary tumor resection with unilateral or bilateral neck dissection were analyzed. Level IV metastases were histopathologically proven in 33 patients (29.7%). Pulmonary metastases were observed in 12 of 33 patients (36.4%) with level IV metastases, and in 13 of 78 patients (16.7%) without level IV metastases (p = .04). Multivariate analyzes revealed a significant association between level IV metastases and pulmonary metastases (p = .038). However, an influence on overall (p = .65) or disease-free survival (p = .66) was not observed. Level IV metastases seem to be a predictive factor for pulmonary metastases but not for overall and disease-free survival in patients with HNSCC.