Surgical management of the neck in squamous cell carcinoma of the floor ofthe mouth

Nodal involvement in squamous cell carcinoma considerably lowers survival r ate. Despite its importance, neck management has still not been adequately explored. The Authors have retrospectively reviewed the records of 112 case s. Unilateral N+ were treated with a homolateral therapeutic and a controla teral prophylactic neck dissection; bilateral N+ were treated with a bilate ral therapeutic neck dissection. On first observation the majority of cases (66.1%) were T1-2. N+ patients accounted for 45.5%. Among N- patients, 21. 3% of occult nodal metastases were observed. The 5-year survival rate was 5 2.7%. With N+ lesions, a radical neck dissection should be performed; the d issection should be performed bilaterally. With N- lesions a prophylactic m odified radical neck dissection is recommended in T2-4 lesions. (C) 1998 El sevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.