Patterns of failure and histopathologic outcome predictors following definitive radiotherapy and planned neck dissection with residual disease

Abstract

Our aim was to report patterns of failure and histopathological predictors in patients with head and neck cancer treated by planned neck dissection. We reviewed all new patients with head and neck cancer who underwent a planned neck dissection in our institution from 1998 to 2007. Patterns of failure after positive planned neck dissection were reported. The frequency and predictive value of histopathologic features were analyzed. Fifty positive planned neck dissection and 144 negative planned neck dissection cases were identified. The positive planned neck dissection cohort had lower 5-year overall survival (OS; 33% vs 77%; p < .01), a significantly higher distant metastasis (DM; 44% vs 11%; p < .01), a moderately lower local (86% vs 96%; p < .01), and a similar regional control (94% vs 99%; p = .07) compared to the negative planned neck dissection cohort. Extracapsular extension/carcinoma within soft tissue and lymphovascular invasion were adverse survival predictors for patients with positive planned neck dissection on univariate and multivariate analysis. Positive planned neck dissection is associated with lower survival, predominantly attributed to significantly increased DM rather than reduced locoregional control.