Predictive factors of nodal metastases in oral cavity and oropharynx carcinomas

Objective: To estimate the value of tumor (T)related parameters (singly or in association) in predicting the presence of occult metastases in oral cav ity and oropharynx carcinomas. Study Design: We considered tumor size (T si ze), Broders' grading of histologic differentiation (G), invasive cell grad ing (ICG), and thickness. For every single factor, we evaluated the correla tion between the parameter and occult metastases in NO neck disease, the co rrelation between the parameter and metastases independently from node (N) class, and the relation between the parameter and extracapsular spread. On the basis of previous results, we gave a score to each parameter that showe d higher significativity the sum of which we called global score (GS). We c ompared the predictivity of metastasis of the GS to that of the single para meters to obtain a more efficacious index. Methods: Sixty-one patients with carcinomas of the oral cavity and oropharynx who underwent surgery on T an d N were examined. Results: Our preliminary results have highlighted a sign ificant correlation between G, ICG, and the presence of occult metastases, No correlation between T size and metastases was highlighted. The GS obtain ed from G;and ICG turned out to be highly significant. A strong correlation was found between the ICG score and extracapsular spread: a high risk of e xtracapsular spread was found in patients with an ICG; score greater than o r equal to 13. Conclusion: We perform elective neck dissection in T1-T2 NO neck disease with ICG greater than or equal to 13 and GS1 greater than or e qual to 9.