Cervical Node Metastasis of Supraglottic Cancer

To detect the relationship between laryngeal cancer and cervical lymph node metastasis, we microscopically investigated the entire larynx resected. Because of cancer as well as the cervical lymph nodes. In 32 supraglottal cancer cases, cervical lymph node metastasis, mainly in the upper and middle deeper cervical region, was revealed in 59.4%. Twelve of the 32 were negative according to UICC classification and in four (33.3%) of the 12, cervical lymph node metastasis was found microscopically. The average size of the resected metastatic cervical lymph nodes was 12.2×8.7 mm and the incidence of cancer metastasis was higher in larger lymph nodes. Two routes of lymphatic metastasis, to the upper deeper cervical region through the pre-epiglottal spaces and directly to the middle deeper cervical region, were observed in this study. Preventive neck lymph node dissection is indicated to obtain better prognosis in laryngeal cancer.