gms | German Medical Science

78th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

16.05. - 20.05.2007, Munich

Prognostic significance of lymphangiosis carcinomatosa in patients with head and neck carcinoma

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author Georgios Psychogios - Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Klinik, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
  • Ercan Guerlek - Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Klinik, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
  • Frank Waldfahrer - Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Klinik, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
  • Heinrich Iro - Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Klinik, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. 78th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Munich, 16.-20.05.2007. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2007. Doc07hno076

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/hno2007/07hno076.shtml

Published: August 8, 2007

© 2007 Psychogios et al.
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Outline

Text

Introduction: Lymphangiosis carcinomatosa is a well-known prognostic factor in lung and breast carcinoma [1]. For the head and neck cancer there are contradictory data concerning the significance of lymphangiosis carcinomatosa in cervical lymph node metastases [2]. For example there are studies, which doubt the prognostic value of lymphangiosis carcinomatosa in the carcinoma of the head and neck [3].

Patients and methods: We analysed 594 patients treated between 1970 and 1990, who had surgery because of a malignant tumor in the head neck region. The patients who had unilateral or bilateral cervical lymph node metastases after neck dissection were included to the study. Patients with nasal-, nasopharyngeal- and salivary gland malignancy were excluded.

Results: After histopathological exploration of the neck lymph nodes, lymphangiosis carcinomatosa could be proven in 55 patients, 539 patients had cervical lymph node metastases without lymphangiosis carcinomatosa. The 5-year survival rate was 17,6% in the first group and 48,5% in the second group (p=0,001). Additionally the incidence of lymphangiosis carcinomatosa was clearly increased with rising pN status (4% with pN1 to 16% with pN3).

Conclusion: Lymphangiosis carcinomatosa in the cervical lymph node metastases proved to be a highly significant prognostic factor for head and neck tumors. Therefore when being present, an adequate adjuvant therapy must be attached, for example simultaneous radio chemotherapy.


References

1.
Schultheis KH, Baumann M, Meyer W. Lymph- and haemangiosis carcinomatosa- an important prognostic factor in non-small-call bronchial carcinoma (NSCLC). Langenbecks Arch Chir Suppl Kongressbd. 1996;113:775-8
2.
Waldfahrer F, Hauptmann B, Iro H. Lymph node metastasis of glottic laryngeal carcinoma. Laryngorhinootologie. 2005;84(2):96-100.
3.
Kokemueller H, Brachvogel P, Eckardt A, Hausamen JE. Neck dissection in oralcancer-clinical review and analysis of prognostic factors. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2002;31(6):608-14.