Is neck dissection needed in squamous-cell carcinoma of the maxillary gingiva, alveolus, and hard palate? A multicentre Italian study of 65 cases and literature review

The maxillary squamous-cell carcinoma cases in our multicentre study and in the literature review exhibited aggressive regional metastatic behaviour, comparable with that of carcinomas of the tongue, mouth floor, and mandibular gingiva. Based on our findings, we recommend selective neck dissection in clinically negative necks as a primary management strategy for patients with maxillary squamous-cell carcinomas involving the palate, maxillary gingiva, or maxillary alveolus.