Tumor Infiltration Depth as Predictor of Nodal Metastasis in Early Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma

PurposeA retrospective longitudinal study was conducted to identify the cutoff value of infiltration depth for predicting the risk of lymph node metastasis of the neck in a well-defined population of surgically treated patients affected by stage T1 to T2 oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.Patients and MethodsSixty-seven patients were enrolled in this study. Forty-four patients (65.5%) had pN0 status and 23 (34.5%) had pN+ status. Thirty-five positive lymph nodes were analyzed. The median follow-up for these patients was 51.4 months.ResultsThe mean infiltration depth of the N-negative group was 2.4 mm; this was substantially different from the mean value observed in the N-positive group at 5.5 mm. A meaningful cutoff was identified at an infiltration depth value of 4 mm.ConclusionInfiltration depth was identified as an important predictor for neck nodal status. In this specific population, mortality was associated with increasing tumor infiltration depth.