Is skip metastases associated with tumor thickness and tumor size in tongue carcinoma patients?

OBJECTIVE

To assess the correlation of skip metastases associated with increase in tumor thickness and size of the tumor.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was carried out from August 2009 to August 2015. In this study, a total number of 33 carcinoma tongue patients having T1, T2, and T3 sizes with N0 and N+ clinical necks who were treated by supraomohyoid neck dissection, extended supraomohyoid neck dissection, and modified radical neck dissection were analyzed. The data was assessed using Shapiro-Wilk W test, Nagelkerke R2 regression model, mean, and standard deviation.

RESULTS

Metastasis to lymph nodes was present in 75% of patients. Level I and level II were the commonest sites to be involved, i.e., 20 patients. Three patients had skip metastasis out of which two patients had metastasis at level III (6%), and one patient had skip metastasis at level IV (3%).

CONCLUSION

The incidence of skip metastasis increases with tumor thickness and tumor size in tongue carcinoma patients.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The article reveals the positive relationship between tumor thickness, tumor size, and skip metastasis. The analysis shows tumor thickness as a higher predictor for skip metastasis with odds ratio of 5.5 compared to the tumor size having odd ratio 2.