Preoperative risk factors of lymph node metastasis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Lymph node metastasis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (“SCC”) affects the prognosis. A variety of risk factors of lymph node metastasis have been reported. Predicting lymph node metastasis prior to surgery, which is a major treatment method for cutaneous SCC, contributes to the effects of treatment. Factors that can be obtained prior to surgery were weighed between a lymph node metastasis group and a non-metastasis lymph node group. One hundred and sixty-four cutaneous SCC patients were operated on. The following factors, which can be obtained prior to surgery, were compared between the lymph node metastasis group and the non-metastasis lymph node group: age, sex, tumour size, symptom period, lesions, and local recurrence. The detection rate from lymph node metastasis of the sentinel lymph node biopsy using the blue dye technique was studied. Among all subjects, lymph node metastasis was observed in 17 cases (10.4%). Lower lip SCC was observed only in the higher metastasis rate. Significant local recurrence occurred more frequently in the lymph node metastasis group. For other factors, no significant difference was observed between the lymph node metastasis group and the non-metastasis lymph node group. A sentinel lymph node biopsy was given in 21 cases, two false-negative cases were observed, and local recurrence and lymph node metastasis were observed postoperatively. Operation should be given to the lower lip SCC and local recurrence cases considering lymph node metastasis. It is hard to say that the sentinel lymph node biopsy of cutaneous SCC using the blue dye technique has sufficient detection rates.