BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the base of the tongue is an asymptomatic and aggressive neoplasia, spreading uni or bilateral routinely to the neck. The objective is to establish the elective or therapeutic therapy for metastatic neck nodes for SCC of base of the tongue. METHOD: Through a retrospective analysis of 290 files of patients with SCC of the base of the tongue from Departamento de Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço e Otorrinolaringologia do Hospital Heliópolis, Hosphel, São Paulo de 1997 a 2000, after a locoregional assessment, the patients were classified as levels I, II, III, IV, V from TNM staging of UICC (1998). The results were evaluated through Chi Square Test for the association of site, tumor size, metastases and medium line invasion. RESULTS: The relation between male and female were 9:1, the 6th decade and alcohol, tobacco were predominant (83.8%). Concerning lymph node spreading, N0 (21.0%), N1 (13.4%), N2 (43.1%), N3(22.5%) and level I (11.6%), II (69.0%), III (13.5%), IV (2.8%) and V (3.1%). About concerning medium line spread, it was not a significant relation with affected level. CONCLUSION: The treatment of SCC of the base of the tongue involve the primary lesion and the lymph node spread to uni and bilateral neck level.
Carcinoma; squamous cell; Tongue; Tongue neoplasms; Neoplasm metastasis; Neck
