Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Versus Elective Neck Dissection: Long-Term Oncologic Outcomes in Clinically Node-Negative Tongue Cancer

Woori Park; Hokyung Jin; Yujin Heo; Han-Sin Jeong; Young-Ik Son; Man Ki Chung; Chung-Hwan Baek

doi:10.21053/ceo.2020.02411

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Versus Elective Neck Dissection: Long-Term Oncologic Outcomes in Clinically Node-Negative Tongue Cancer

Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Feb;15(1):107-114. doi: 10.21053/ceo.2020.02411. Epub 2021 Mar 30.

Authors

Woori Park¹, Hokyung Jin², Yujin Heo², Han-Sin Jeong², Young-Ik Son², Man Ki Chung², Chung-Hwan Baek²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Uijeongbu Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University School of Medicine, Uijeongbu, Korea.
² Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the long-term oncologic outcomes of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) versus elective neck dissection (END) in clinically node-negative (cN0) tongue cancer.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with cN0 tongue cancer from a single institution, including 91 patients in the SLNB group and 120 patients in the END group.

Results: The overall recurrence rate showed no significant difference between the two groups. The regional control rate was also comparable between the two groups (P=0.490). The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) was slightly better in the SLNB group than in the END group (P=0.427). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 89.9% in the SLNB group versus 91.9% in the END group (P=0.737). In a propensity-matched subgroup analysis, the type of neck management did not affect RFS or OS.

Conclusion: SLNB showed non-inferior oncologic outcomes compared to END in patients with cN0 tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

Keywords: Neck Dissection; Recurrence; Sentinel Lymph Node.