Authors: Brijesh Kumar, Anirudh Shukla
Cervical metastasis is the most critical prognostic factors in head and neck carcinoma. Accurate detection and measurement of metastases is important for precise staging of patients with head and neck cancers because it determines treatment strategy. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 110 patients, presenting with neck secondaries with head and neck malignancy (primary and occult) in the Department of ENT, N.S.C.B.MCH, Jabalpur from March 2016 to August 2017. Results: Head and neck carcinoma with neck secondaries is more common in males (M: F=6:1). Oral carcinoma was commonest followed by carcinoma larynx & majority with unilateral (left>right) neck node metastasis, Level II being the commonest. Most common Histopathology of primary was SCC and FNAC of neck node was metastatic deposits of SCC. Majority presented at stage IV. Conclusions: It is concluded that patients usually present to a tertiary care centre at advanced stages, with locally as well as extensive metastatic spread. This can be attributed to lack of awareness and unavailability of proper medical facilities in rural population. There should be health education in community about carcinogenic substances, to reduce the burden of carcinomas & proper medical facilities in low socioeconomic strata. Pathological investigations are gold standard diagnostic modalities for head & neck carcinoma and neck node metastases, not only for confirmation but also for proper further management. Keywords: Clinicopathological study, Head and Neck carcinoma, Neck secondaries, Socioeconomic condition, Stage of cancer.
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