SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF THE CLINICAlLY NEGATIVE NECK N (0) IN PATIENTS WITH I lARYNGEAL CANCER

Abstract

The management of the clinically negative (NO) neck in patients with (T3.T4) sguamous cell carcinoma of the larynx should be addressed more aggressively in the form of Routine lateral (jagular) neck dissection (LND) in the setting of total laryngectomy as it provides an invaluable pathologic and prognostic information which may guide post operative adjuvant therapy. There is a general agreement that the most important determinant of long term survival in patients with laryngeal cancer is the ability of the initial treatment team to •prevent development of recurrent disease and therefore the prevention and treatment of cervical metastatic disease is critical for success in the management of these patients. The pattern of metastasis in carcinoma of the larynx is largely predictable and application of modem principles of selective neck dissection is approprate and desirable in treatment of patients with N (0) laryngeal cancer.