ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the regularity of cervical lymph node metastasis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma and its influence on patient prognosis,to guide the therapeutic strategies for hypopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods:A total of 140 hypopharyngeal squmous cell carcinoma patients who received surgery in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from January 2000 to December 2016 were analyzed retrospectively.χ2test was adopted for the analysis of the counting data,and Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis,and the Cox regression model was used to analyze the factors affecting the prognosis.Results:The total rate of lymph node metastasis was 68.6% of the total 140 patients.The rate of occult lymph node metastasis in cN0 patients was 25.0%.The rate of bilateral lymph node metastases was 25%.The most common areas of lymph node metastasis are region II,Ⅲ,andⅣ.The rates of lymph node metastasis were 10.7%,10.4%,7.9% in regionⅠ,ⅤandⅥ,respectively.The total rate of extranodal extension were 66.7%.Univariate analysis showed that cervical lymph node metastasis was closely related to tumor pathological grade(P=0.012),and was not related to gender,age,primary tumor site,tumor T stage(P<0.05).The 3-year and 5-year overall survival rates of patients were 61.0% and 49.1%, respectively.Cox regression analysis showed that the diameter of metastatic lymph nodes(P=0.012),number(P=0.039),and extranodal extension(P=0.010)were significantly related to the survival of patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma.When the diameter of metastatic lymph nodes≥2.8 cm,number≥2,with extranodal extension,the prognosis is poor.Conclusions:Hypopharyngeal carcinoma has a dismal prognosis,with high rate of lymph node metastasis.Cervical lymph node metastasis is an important factor of the prognosis.The active treatment strategy for the lymph nodes is the key to improve the therapeutic effect of hypopharyngeal carcinoma.