To establish the incidence of node metastases and to assess the prevalence of occult nodes in cancers of the glottic and supraglottic larynx with clinically N-0 neck, and to assess the meanings of elective neck dissection (END) in cancers of
larynx
with
N-0 neck, this study was undertaken.
Retrospective study with review of records and CT or MRI of a total of 63 patients of laryngeal cancers (22 supraglottic, and 41 glottic) with clinically N-0 neck treated primarily with surgery at Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck
Surgery,
Korea Cancer Center Hospital, from Jan. 1986 through Dec. 1991.
With clinically N-0 neck, the rate of occult metastasis was 4.8% in glottic cancers, and 22.7% in supraglottic cancers, and there were no difference in occult metastases rates according to T-stages. Recurrence rate was not affected by elective
neck
dissection.
In glottic and supraglottic laryngeal cancers, elective neck dissection is not necessary if node is not detected by physical examination and computed tomography (CT). (Korean J Otolaryngol 38:9, 1995)
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