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The association of lymph node volume with cervical metastatic lesions in head and neck cancer patients

  • Head and Neck
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European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine if volume of cervical lymph node measured via computed tomography (CT) could differentiate metastatic from benign lesions in head and neck cancer patients. We conducted a retrospective review of chart and images in a tertiary referring center in Taiwan. Patients with head and neck cancers underwent radical, modified radical or functional neck dissection were enrolled. The CT images before operation were reassessed by a radiologist and were compared with the results of pathological examination. A total of 102 patients were included for final analyses. Most patients were male (n = 96, 94%) and average age was 50.1 years. Although the average nodal volume in patients with cervical metastases was higher than those of patients without cervical metastases, it was not an independent factor associated with cervical metastasis after controlling for other variables; however, central nodal necrosis on enhanced CT image [odds ratio (OR) 18.95, P = 0.008) and minimal axial diameter >7.5 mm (OR 6.868, P = 0.001) were independent factors correlated with cervical metastasis. Therefore, the volume of cervical lymph node measured from CT images cannot predict cervical metastases in head and neck cancer patients. Measurement of minimal axial diameter of the largest lymph node is a simple and more accurate way to predict cervical metastasis instead.

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Acknowledgment

The authors thank the Biostatistics Task Force of Taichung Veterans General Hospital for statistical analysis consulting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No. 160, Sec 3, Chung-Kang Road, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan

    Ming-Tai Liang, Ching-Ping Wang, Chen-Chi Wang & Shih-An Liu

  2. Department of Radiology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

    Clayton Chi-Chang Chen

  3. Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Ching-Ping Wang, Chen-Chi Wang & Shih-An Liu

  4. Department of Information Technology, Overseas Chinese Institute of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan

    Whe-Dar Lin

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  1. Ming-Tai Liang
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  2. Clayton Chi-Chang Chen
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  4. Chen-Chi Wang
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  5. Whe-Dar Lin
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Correspondence to Shih-An Liu.

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Liang, MT., Chen, C.CC., Wang, CP. et al. The association of lymph node volume with cervical metastatic lesions in head and neck cancer patients. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 266, 883–887 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0818-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0818-2

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