Occult metastases from T1–T2 supraglottic carcinoma: role of primary tumor localization

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the role of localization on the rate of occult metastasis in early stage supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma. We selected carefully 32 T1–2 clinically N0 patients without epilarynx involvement and 39 T1–2 clinically N0 patients with epilarynx involvement from among patients with supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma. All patients underwent simultaneous unilateral or bilateral neck dissection with laryngeal surgery. The rate of the occult metastases was 3.1% in patients without epilarynx involvement, whereas it was 20.5% in patients with epilarynx involvement. Within the supraglottic larynx, two subregions can be distinguished: the epilarynx and the lower supraglottis. Our results suggest the possibility of omitting elective neck treatment in T1–2N0 supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma without epilarynx involvement. Observation under strict follow-up may be an option to routine neck treatment in T1–2N0 supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma without epilarynx involvement.