Exploring the Role of Circulating Tumor Cells in Contralateral Neck Metastasis

Abstract

Background: The management of neck nodes in oral cavity cancers discernibly depends on the approach adopted for the primary tumor. There are abundant literature and consensus guidelines established for ipsilateral neck metastasis in small lateralized oral cavity cancers. However, the literature on the mechanism of contralateral neck metastasis and their management in recurrent settings is sparse. The current analysis aims at elucidating the role of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in contralateral neck metastasis and the incidence of the same. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study to include all the patients with recurrent ipsilateral oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma who underwent treatment between January 2016 and October 2021. Various parameters were analyzed, and the data were curated to arrive at a conclusion. Results: The analysis of several parameters, including demographics of the patient, tumor site, individual tumor, lymph node, metastasis (TNM) category, depth of invasion (DOI), extra-nodal extension (ENE) status, CTCs, adjuvant treatment received after first surgery followed by TNM category, DOI, worst pattern of invasion, ENE, type of neck dissection, histological grading of tumor, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, nodal yield, and number of nodes positive in the contralateral neck were studied in detail. Conclusion: The study showed a significant correlation between contralateral neck metastasis and CTCs.