OBJECTIVE: TO assess the oncologic effectiveness of the selective neck
dissection (SND) in patients with both clinically and pathologically
proven regional metastases. METHODS: A 4-year retrospective medical ch
art review was conducted in an academic tertiary care referral center,
Twenty-nine patients with a newly diagnosed upper aerodigestive tract
squamous cell carcinoma, and both clinically and histologically prove
n cervical metastases who underwent 36 SND, had their records reviewed
, Minimum follow-up was 2 years. RESULTS: Regional metastasis were sta
ged N1 in 13 patients, N2A in 1, N2B in 8, and N2C in 7. Seventeen sup
raomohyoid and 19 lateral neck dissections were performed. Extracapsul
ar spread of tumor was present in 11 patients. Postoperative radiation
therapy was administered to 20 patients, Actuarial disease-specific s
urvival at 4 years was 47% overall, 67% in N1 patients, and 41% in N2
patients, Only 1 failure in the treated neck occurred for a 4-year act
uarial regional failure rate of 4%. The actuarial local failure and di
stant metastasis rate were 36% each. CONCLUSIONS: In carefully selecte
d patients with clinically and histologically apparent regional metast
ases, the selective neck dissection can be an oncologically effective
procedure, (C) 1996 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.