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Relevance of perimarginal nodes for head and neck cancer

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

Abstract

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of metastasis in the perimarginal nodes (PMNs) (also known as perifacial, preglandular and retroglandual nodes) in head and neck cancer.

Methods

We recruited 136 patients affected by cancers of the oral cavity, lip, oropharynx, skin and by cáncer of unknown primary (CUP), who were candidates for level IB dissection. PMNs were identified and sent separately for histological analysis. Correlation between metastasis to the PMNs and characteristics of the primary tumour were reported.

Results

The incidence of metastasis was 17% from oral cancer, 50% from lip cancer and 12.5% from skin cancer. No metastases were reported for oropharynx cancer or CUP. The only factor that correlated with the incidence of metastases was origin of the tumour from the upper part of oral cavity.

Conclusion

PMNs represent a frequent site of metastasis in oral and lip cancers. In cancer of the oropharynx, their involvement has not been not reported, while their role in skin cancers remains to be clarified.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Clinic, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina—ASUGI, Strada di Fiume 447, 39149, Trieste, Italy

    Giancarlo Tirelli, Virginia Marchiori, Nicoletta Gardenal & Alberto Vito Marcuzzo

  2. Istituto di Anatomia Patologica, Università di Trieste, Trieste, Italy

    Rossana Bussani

  3. Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy

    Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo

Authors
  1. Giancarlo Tirelli
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  2. Rossana Bussani
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  3. Virginia Marchiori
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  4. Nicoletta Gardenal
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  5. Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo
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  6. Alberto Vito Marcuzzo
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Correspondence to Alberto Vito Marcuzzo.

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Tirelli, G., Bussani, R., Marchiori, V. et al. Relevance of perimarginal nodes for head and neck cancer. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 279, 2603–2609 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-021-07056-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-021-07056-1

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