Sentinel node navigation surgery versus observation as a management strategy for early tongue carcinoma.

Background: The status of lymph nodes in the neck is the most important prognostic factor for the outcomes of patients with oral tongue cancer. However, surgical prophylaxis of the neck is controversial.

Methods: We reviewed 22 patients with clinically T1/T2, N0 Union Internationale Contre le Cancer oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Patients were assigned to groups according to the management strategy selected for the neck. One group underwent a "watchful waiting" policy and the other underwent sentinel node navigation surgery (SNNS).

Results: Three of 11 patients (27%) in the watchful waiting group developed regional recurrence and underwent neck dissection. Only 1 of 11 patients (9.1%) in the SNNS group developed regional recurrence. Although the groups did not significantly differ, the SNNS group tended to have less regional recurrence.

Conclusion: SNNS should be the third strategy formanaging early oral tongue carcinoma.