Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the clinical and pathological factors that may affect neck metastasis and extracapsular spread in laryngeal cancer patients.METHODS: Between January 2016 and December 2018, 56 patients (53 males, 3 females; mean age 60.8±9.5 years; range, 34 to 84 years) operated for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were included in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into two groups as those with and without neck metastasis. The neck metastasis group was divided into two groups as those with and without extracapsular spread. The effect of tumor localization, tumor volume measured from preoperative computed tomography or magnetic resonance images, vascular, thyroid cartilage, perineural and lymphatic invasion on neck lymph node involvement and extracapsular spread was investigated.RESULTS: In 30.4% of the cases (n=17), tumor (T)3-T4 glottic and in 60.6% (n=39) T1-T4 supraglottic tumors were detected. While only lymph node involvement was seen in 17.9% of the patients, 25% had extracapsular spread with lymph node involvement. The involvement of the supraglottic area increased the risk of neck metastasis by 6.756 fold and the risk of extracapsular spread by 9.258 fold statistically significantly (p=0.016).CONCLUSION: Supraglottic tumors have a higher risk of lymph node involvement and extracapsular spread compared to advanced glottic tumors. Neck dissection is important for staging and locoregional control of the tumors in the supraglottic area.

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