Objectives

  Management of the clinically N0 neck in oral cancer patients remains controversial. We describe the outcome of patients with T1–T2 oral cancer and N0 neck based on ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology (USgFNAC) who were treated by transoral excision and followed by a ‘wait and scan’ policy (W&S).

 Patients and methods

 This retrospective analysis included 285 consecutive patients of whom 234 were followed by W&S and 51 underwent elective neck dissection (END). Survival rates were compared between groups and correction for confounding factors was performed.

  Results

 Of W&S patients, the 5-year disease-specific (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were 94.2% and 81.6% respectively. During follow-up 72.2% remained free of lymph node metastases and 27.8% developed delayed metastases. W&S patients with delayed metastases had a 5-year DSS and OS of 80.0% and 62.8%, respectively. In patients with positive END these rates were 81.3% and 64.2%, respectively. Between the groups, survival rates were not significantly different. Of the W&S patients with delayed metastases, 90.6% needed adjuvant radiotherapy versus 55.0% of patients with positive END.

  Conclusion

  With regard to survival, in patients with early stage oral cancer and cN0 neck a ‘wait and scan’ policy using strict USgFNAC surveillance is justified as survival is not negatively influenced. Using a ‘wait and scan’ follow-up strategy instead of elective neck treatment, unnecessary neck dissection and its accompanying morbidity can be avoided in 72.2% of patients. However, for the small proportion of patients with delayed metastases, more extensive treatment with adjuvant radiotherapy is needed.

 Source: Journal of Oral Oncology

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