Purpose: Neck dissection (ND) is routinely performed for persistent nodal disease after definitive chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) for locally advanced head and neck cancer. This study analyzes the role and extent of ND necessary after CRT based on pathologic outcome.
Patients and methods: The study is based on 42 patients undergoing 48 ND's for persistent nodal disease after CRT. Patients were treated to a median radiation dose of 70.4 Gy at 1.8-2 Gy per fraction concurrently with platinum based chemotherapy. Patients with documented residual disease in neck, based on clinical or radiological examination underwent ND at a median interval of 59 days after completion of CRT.
Results: Of the 42 patients undergoing ND, 11 (26%) had positive findings on pathologic evaluation. The clinical and treatment characteristics were similar for node negative and positive patients. The involved nodal level(s) were always confined within the clinically documented persistent disease. The median percentage of positive nodes to total nodes removed was 10%. Almost 50% of positive nodes removed had only microscopic or minute viable cancer pathologically. The outcome was better for pathologically node negative patients in comparison to node positive patients.
Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that standard ND appears to be an excessive treatment for persistent nodal disease after CRT. Limited ND or even gross nodal resection confined to involved nodal level(s) as identified clinically or radiologically should be tested in a prospective randomized trial for reducing treatment related morbidity while maintaining excellent loco-regional control.