Involvement of level I neck lymph nodes and submandibular gland in laryngeal and/or hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of level I neck lymph node metastases or submandibular nodal metastases in laryngeal and/or hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

One hundred fifty consecutive neck dissection specimens from 100 patients with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal SCC, who were treated at our institution between 1992 and 2002, were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

The tumour stage was T1-T4, and the neck stage was N0-N3. Metastases were never found in level I (Ia + Ib) or in the submandibular gland. Metastases were concentrated within the jugular chain (levels II-IV in 92.2% of the N-positive necks).

CONCLUSION

Metastases of level I of the neck and the submandibular gland are extremely rare in cases of laryngeal and/or hypopharyngeal carcinoma. The risk of facial or hypoglossal nerve injury does not justify the dissection of level I and of the submandibular gland in this type of tumour.