We reviewed our experience with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (MSCC) to the neck from an occult origin in order to assess whether radiotherapy alone or radiotherapy plus surgery improved the local control of disease. This retrospective study reviewed 54 patients with MSCC treated in our service between 1986 and 1992. Six patients (11%) were female and 48 patients (89%) male. The mean age were 54 years old. Forty patients (74%) had metastasis to level 2. Using the TNM classification of UICC 1992, 8 patients were classified as N1, 20 patients as N2, 22 patients as N3, and 4 patients were unclassified. All patients underwent upper aero-digestive endoscopy and chest X-ray. Thirty-five patients (85%) had fine- needle aspiration biopsy, 11 patients had excisional biopsy and 15 underwent incisional biopsy elsewhere. Thirty-eight patients were treated for cure and 16 patients had palliative treatment with radiotherapy. Ten patients were underwent neck dissection and 28 patients radiotherapy alone. Sixteen patients were treated with radiotherapy and palliative intention and were excluded from the survival and local failure analysis. Neck failure was analyzed using thec² methods, comparing the modalities of treatment (surgery plus rxt, rxt alone), and the differences on diseases free survival were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test Fine-needle biopsy made the diagnosis in 85.3% of the patients. Eight patients (15%) had distant metastasis. Primary carcinomas were identified subsequently in 5 patients (9.4%) Eighteen patients (64%) treated with radiotherapy alone had neck recurrences, 3 patients (33%) treated with surgery + radiotherapy had neck failures, (P=0.05). Control of the neck was better in patients N2 and N3 treated with surgery plus radiotherapy respectively p=0.05 and p=0.09. Comparing the diseases free survival of N 1/N2 patients and N I/N3 patients, the patients staged as N 1 had significant better survival (respectively p=0.007 and p=0.007). The five-year disease free survival was 69%, 11%, 15% for N1/N2/N3 patients, respectively. Disease free survival was 28%forall stages. The fine-needle biopsy was a good method for diagnosis. Control of the neck was better in patients classified as N2 and N3 treated with surgery plus radiotherapy.
Neck metastasis; Unknown primary; Squamous cell carcinoma