[Involvement of the submadibular region in epidermoid carcinoma of the mouth floor. Prospective study of 31 cases].

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the primary or secondary involvement of the submandibular gland in floor of mouth squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODS

An analytic-observational study of prospective type was carried out on 31 patients operated for floor of mouth carcinoma, between June 1993 and January 1996, in a reference hospital for a population of 1,100,000 inhabitants. The investigated variables were: age, sex, tumor localization, clinical TNM, type of cervical surgery, evolution, number of positive cervical metastasis, state of the submandibular gland and presence of the periglandular metastasis. The follow-up period was about 48 to 76 months. The exact Fischer test was used for the statistical study.

RESULTS

Histopathological examination identified cervical metastasis as 34.1% of the ipsilateral neck dissections. The average number of positive nodes was 3 (range: 1-9). Cervical periglandular metastases were found in 31.7% of neck dissections, but in no case was microscopic affectation of the submandibular gland found. The existence of intraglandular positive nodes was not found either. In our study, the sensibility and specificity of the clinical exploration of the submandibular region were high (84% and 88% respectively). The presence of cervical metastasis and the size of the tumor conditioned the appearance of recurrences.

CONCLUSIONS

In accordance with our study, periglandular metastases in carcinoma of the floor of mouth, are frequent, but submandibular gland involvement is unusual.