The Importance of Extranodal Extension Grading in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective was to investigate the effect of extra-nodal extension (ENE) grading on the survival of pN-positive patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

STUDY

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

A tertiary referral center.

METHODS

The patients with LSCC were retrospectively reviewed. The histopathological slides of patients were re-examined, and ENE was graded. Survival analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Seventy-six patients were enrolled in this study. The average age of patients was 61.29 years. 3-year overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 69.7%, 73.7%, and 73.7%, respectively. ENE grading had no statistically significant impact on survival rates.

CONCLUSION

While the presence of ENE in more than 4 lymph nodes, lymph node density (LND) greater than 0.2, poor histologic differentiation, and not receiving chemotherapy were identified as independent poor prognosticators in LSCC, the study did not show any effect of ENE grading on survival rates.