The median lymph node density cutoff values ≥0.055 are associated with a greater risk of disease recurrence and survival in patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC), showed a recent study published online ahead of print in the journal Annals of Surgical Oncology.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from 105 patients with HPSCC who underwent hypophagectomy and neck dissection between 1993 and 2014.

Results showed that lymph node density ≥0.055 were associated with cancer recurrence. Researchers also found a significant association between lymph node density ≥0.055 and 5-year overall survival (HR = 2.19; 95% CI: 1.06, 4.51; P=0.035).


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The study also demonstrated a significant association between lymph node density ≥0.055 and 5-year disease-specific survival (HR = 2.30; 95% CI: 1.07, 4.93; P=0.034).

Extracapsular spread was also significantly associated with 5-year overall survival (HR = 2.47; 95% CI: 1.09, 5.61; P=0.030) and 5-year disease-specific survival (HR = 2.95; 95% CI: 1.20, 7.29; P=0.019).

Reference

  1. Joo Y-H, Cho K-J, Kim S-Y, Kim M-S. Prognostic significance of lymph node density in patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2015. [epub ahead of print].