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Cervical lymph node metastases of squamous cell carcinoma from an unknown primary: Outcomes and patterns of failure
- Article from:
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Indian Journal of Cancer
- Article date:
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April 1, 2008
- Author:
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Copyright informationCopyright Medknow Publications 2008. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Introduction
Metastases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to cervical lymph nodes from primary of unknown origin (PUO) represent 1% to 2% of head and neck cancers. [1],[2],[3] The explanations for this unusual form of presentation are of speculative nature: spontaneous regression of the primary and inability to detect a small primary particularly in the nasopharynx, which is known to metastasize to nodes at an early stage. Unlike metastatic lymph nodes from PUO at other body sites, the prognosis in metastatic cervical nodes is not discouraging. The five-year overall survival rates range between 40% to 60% in recent series. [3],[4],[5],[6],[7] However, the optimal management of these patients ...