ORIGINAL ARTICLE PATTERNS OF LYMPH NODE SPREAD OF CUTANEOUS SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK

Abstract: Background. Among patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck, recent studies have shown that those with involvement of the parotid gland also have a high incidence of neck node involvement. Treatment of the neck by either surgery or radiotherapy is there-fore recommended among patients with parotid SCC, even if clinical examination is negative. The aim of this study was first to analyze patterns of metastatic spread in the parotid and cervical lymph nodes and then to correlate the pattern of involved nodes with the primary cutaneous site in order to guide the appropriate extent of surgery, should neck dissection be used to treat the neck in patients with parotid SCC. Methods. A cohort of 209 patients with cutaneous SCC of the head and neck and clinically evident regional metastatic dis-ease was reviewed retrospectively from 3 Australian institutions