ORIGINAL ARTICLE MANAGEMENT OF CONTRALATERAL N0 NECK IN ORAL CAVITY SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

Abstract: Background. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and predictive factors of contralateral occult lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity to form a rational basis for elective contralateral neck management. Methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of 66 patients with cancer of the N0–2 oral cavity undergoing elective neck dissection for contralateral clinically negative necks from 1991 to 2003. Results. Clinically negative but pathologically positive con-tralateral lymph nodes occurred in 11 % (7 of 66). Of the 11 cases with a clinically positive ipsilateral node neck, contralat-eral occult lymph node metastases developed in 36 % (4 of 11), in contrast with 5 % (3 of 55) in the cases with clinically N0 ipsilat-eral necks (p <.05). Based on the clinical staging of the tumor