Lymph node metastases in head and neck malignancies: assessment in practice and prognostic importance

The assessment of neck dissections is an important part of the routine workload of head and neck histopathology. This review provides practical guidance on the macroscopic and microscopic features of importance and discusses potential diagnostic difficulties and pitfalls. The prognostic value of detailed pathological staging is reviewed and controversial topics that may arise in multidisciplinary team meetings are discussed.