The role of suprahyoid dissection with other factors influencing recurrence, metastasis and survival in the management of lower lip cancers: A retrospective analysis of 472 cases

Objective: Lower lip squamous cell cancer is the most frequent tumor of the oral cavity. The effect of elective suprahyoid neck dissection was analyzed retrospectively in a group of patients. Material and Methods: Patients with lower lip cancer (472 patients with T2-T3 tumors, clinically node-negative) who had undergone suprahyoid neck dissection between 1980-1997 in Ankara Oncology Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. For all cases, multivariate Cox regression analysis was utilized to evaluate factors effecting survival. Results: There were 27 female and 445 male patients. The mean age was 49.4 years. Pathologic examination of the specimens showed that there were metastatic lymph nodes in 26 cases. In follow-up, local recurrences were seen in 24 and metastatic disease in 26 (19 regional, 7 distant) cases. Metastases were found to be the most effective factors affecting survival (p< 0.05). Cumulative survival rates were determined to be 96% for 5 years and 93% for ten years. Conclusion: It would appear that suprahyoid dissection for lower lip cancer precipitated lower rates of regional metastases and higher survival rates in this study. However, the lack of a control group and randomization prevent a more definitive conclusion. Copyright © 2005 by Türkiye Klinikleri.