Prophylactic contralateral neck dissection has no advantage in patients with early stage HPV-positive tonsil cancer. (1st April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cho, Kwang-Jae; Kim, Min-Sik; Cho, Jung-Hae; Nam, In-Chul; Kim, Choung-Soo; Kim, Geun-Jeon; Joo, Young-Hoon
• Is Part Of: Acta oto-laryngologica. Volume 142:Number 3/4(2022)
• Page Start: 345
• Page End: 349
• Publication Date: 2022-04-01
• Subjects: Squamous cell carcinoma -- tonsillar neoplasms -- papillomavirus infections -- lymphatic metastasis -- tumor burden; Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; Ear -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Throat -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Otolaryngology -- Electronic Resources; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; 617.8
• DOI: 10.1080/00016489.2022.2053200
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-6489

Abstract

ABSTRACT : Background: Patients with locally advanced HPV-positive tonsil cancer would benefit from prophylactic contralateral neck dissection (pCND). Aims/Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze rates of contralateral lymph node metastases (LNM) and their prognostic effects on locally advanced HPV-positive tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma. Materials and methods: Medical records of 54 patients who underwent upfront primary surgery and pCND were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Six (11.1%) patients had contralateral LNM in 54 locally advanced HPV-positive tonsil cancer. Of these, five patients had contralateral level II LNM and one patient had contralateral level II and III LNM. Contralateral LNM showed significant positive correlations with advanced T stage ( p = .017) and the presence of extracapsular spread ( p = .007). Contralateral lymph node metastasis had no significant association with five-year disease-specific survival. Conclusions and significance: This study demonstrated no advantage in performing pCND in early stage HPV-positive tonsil cancer.