Clinical Significance of Neck Dissection in Post-radiotherapy Clinically Negative N0 Neck in Advanced T3/T4 Oral Malignancies

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Optimal therapy for patients with metastatic neck disease remains controversial. Neck dissection followingradiotherapy has, traditionally, been used to improve locoregional control.Aim: The aim of the study was to study the neck dissection in post-RT clinically negative neck (cN0) in advanced T3/T4 oralmalignancies.Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma were included from 2014 to 2018.The study includes 16 patients with a cN0. Patients with advanced T stage (T3/T4), the presence of lymphovascular invasion,the presence of perineural invasion, positive surgical margins, lymph node involvement, extracapsular nodal extension, andbone involvement were received post-operative radiotherapy (PORT).Results: A total of 16 cases were included in the study, the PORT was given to six patients where three of them were pN+and three were pN0 but had adverse features of primary tumors that mandate PORT. The regional recurrence had occurredin 1 case which was pN+.Conclusion: Tumor recurrence was not influenced statistically with the use of PORT in the cN0.