Predictors of outcome in patients with metastatic cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma involving cervical lymph nodes: Improved survival with the addition of adjuvant radiotherapy.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of surgery against surgery plus radiotherapy in patients with metastatic cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to cervical nodes.

Methods: We conducted a 28-year retrospective analysis of 122 patients whom were treated for metastatic cutaneous HNSCC involving the cervical nodes (levels I-V).

Results: After surgery alone, 11 patients (55%) developed recurrence compared with 23 patients (23%) after surgery plus radiotherapy. On multivariate analysis, the following variables were significantly associated with disease-free survival (DFS): immunosuppression (p = .002), treatment modality (p < .001), extracapsular spread (p = .009), and pathological nodal stage (p = .04). Patients undergoing surgery plus radiotherapy had a significantly better 5-year DFS (74% vs 34%; p = .001) and 5-year overall survival (OS; 66% vs 27%; p = .003) compared with surgery alone.

Conclusion: In patients with metastatic cutaneous HNSCC involving cervical nodes, survival was significantly improved with the addition of radiotherapy.