Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Korean Association of Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (대한악안면성형재건외과학회)
권호 표지

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROPHYLACTIC NECK DISSECTION IN THE EARLY-STAGE TONGUE CANCER

초기설암치료시 예방적 경부곽청술의 의의

  • Hong, Chang-Soo (Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Kim, Chin-Soo (Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Jang, Hyun-Joong (Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Lee, Sang-Han (Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University)
  • 홍창수 (경북대학교 치과대학 구강악안면외과학교실) ;
  • 김진수 (경북대학교 치과대학 구강악안면외과학교실) ;
  • 장현중 (경북대학교 치과대학 구강악안면외과학교실) ;
  • 이상한 (경북대학교 치과대학 구강악안면외과학교실)
  • Published : 1995.03.31
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Abstract

The poor survival rates of patients with carcinoma of a tongue, despite of modern therapy, is well recognized. One of the most important prognostic factors is status of the cervical lymph nodes. There have been a long-standing debate about the treatment of cervical lymph nodes in early-stage tongue cancer. There are two major treatment opinion. The one is surgical excision of primary tumor with prophylactic neck dissection, simultaneously, and the other is to delay the cervical therapy until cervical lymph node is palpable. Recently we have experienced the early cervical metastasis in three patients who had been diagnosed as a carcinoma of the tongue. They were T1, T2 lesion and no palpable node was found. But histopathologic examination showed the occult metastasis or delayed cervical metastasis was occured. By the review of literature and clinical experience, we could conclude the prophylactic neck dissection offers a better chance for success than therapeutic neck dissection of palpable lymph nodes, in case of oral tongue cancer.

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