Clinicopathological Correlation between Depth of Tumor and Neck Node Metastasis in Oral (Tongue and Buccal Mucosa) Carcinoma

Abstract

(1) To study the depth of tumor invasion in an oral (tongue and buccal mucosa) carcinoma and its correlation with neck metastasis. (2) To know whether the increase in depth of tumor (depth of invasion) increases the chances of cervical nodal metastasis in the oral tongue and buccal mucosa carcinoma and derive cutoff value of depth of invasion at which the metastasis occurs. The study was carried out on 14 tongue and 22 buccal mucosa cases to know the correlation between the depth of tumor and neck node metastasis in the oral (tongue and buccal mucosa) carcinoma. Among 36 cases, 10 cases were pN+. Out of 10 cases, 7 (70%) were having depth ≥12 mm and 30% cases (pN+) having depth between 8 and <10. We found it statistically significant and so as the depth of tumor increases the chances of nodal metastasis increases. We found the cutoff for a depth of invasion in both tongue and buccal mucosa carcinomas as 8 out of 22 patients had DOI >10 mm and among them 4 were pN+ and among 14 tongue cases, 3 cases had DOI >8 mm and all of them were pN+. For tongue 8 mm and for buccal mucosa, 10 mm of the depth of tumor invasion was calculated as the cutoff depth, above which the incidence of nodal metastasis increases to 75% and 66.66%, respectively. Depth of tumor is an important prognostic indicator in the tongue and buccal mucosa carcinoma to know the cervical nodal metastasis. Hence for an increase in depth of tumor cases, neck must be addressed along with primary tumor excision. Radiological investigations [ultrasonography (USG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scan] play an important role in nodal metastasis detection hence should be considered in carcinoma of the oral tongue and buccal mucosa especially in clinically N0 neck. Shah AH, Parikh RP. Clinicopathological Correlation between Depth of Tumor and Neck Node Metastasis in Oral (Tongue and Buccal Mucosa) Carcinoma. Int J Head Neck Surg 2021;12(1):6–10.