REGIONAL SPREAD OF AURICULAR AND PERIAURICULAR CUTANEOUS MALIGNANCIES

Over 90% of all cutaneous malignancies occur in the head and neck. Mal ignancies involving the external auditory meatus, auricle, and periaur icular region are notoriously difficult to control. The morbidity and mortality associated with extension of these malignancies underscore t he importance of complete initial removal. We present 14 patients who underwent excision of periauricular lesions. All lesions were less tha n 2 cm in diameter and previously excised with negative margins. These patients were subsequently referred for regional disease. Twenty-nine percent of the patients failed definitive surgical therapy. We examin e the indications for regional lymphadenectomy in the treatment of aur icular and periauricular cutaneous malignancies.