Squamous cell carcinoma of the maxilla: Analysis of clinicopathological predictors for disease recurrence and metastatic behavior.

INTRODUCTION

Squamous cell carcinoma of the maxilla only constitutes a small fraction of Head and Neck Cancers. There is thereby a lack of information about frequent tumor staging and localization and their effect on patients' outcome. The main factors that influence longterm survival in HNSCC are the extent of the primary disease and recurrence rate, including local neck metastases.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this study, clinical outcome and rates of disease recurrence in 68 surgically treated patients with maxillary SCC were evaluated in terms of primary tumor staging and localization.

RESULTS

It could be demonstrated that maxillary cancer is mostly located in the posterior region of the upper jaw (70%). The rate of neck node metastasis was 35.3%, which is equivalent to the rest of the oral cavity and supports the role of elective neck dissection for patients with clinically negative neck node status. Staging, tumor differentiation, and infiltration of lymphatic structures correlated significantly with the development of local neck node metastases (r = 0.321, p = 0.01; r = 0.348, p < 0.01; r = 0.64; p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Maxillary carcinomas exhibit similar rates of locoregional disease recurrence as the rest of the oral cavity. The existence of cervical metastases even in patients with T1 tumors supports the concept of elective neck dissection in early tumors with clinically negative neck status.