Incidence of lymph node metastasis in elective (prophylactic) neck dissection for oral carcinoma.

For cancers of the tongue, floor of mouth, mandibular gingiva and buccal mucosa, in which the widest diameter is greater than 2 cm, we perform neck dissection in continuity with resection of the primary growth as a part of the planned therapy,regardles of the clinical state of the cervical lymph nodes. Whenever the lesion is so situated that an in-continuity neck dissection cannot be performed (cancer of the palate) it may be wise to delay neck dissection until the lymph nodes become clinically apparent.