Facial nerve perineural spread from cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: A single institution analysis of epidemiology, treatment, survival outcomes, and prognostic factors.

Background: This study aimed to examine patients with facial nerve (VII) perineural spread (PNS) from cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients managed by an Australian tertiary center between 2000 and 2019.

Results: Seventy three patients were included. Most presented with recurrent disease (89.0%) and simultaneous trigeminal nerve (V) involvement (67.1%). Of the 55 patients (75.3%) who received curative intent treatment, 48 received surgery plus/minus post-operative radiotherapy. In these patients, 5-year disease-free survival, disease-specific survival, and overall survival was 50.7%, 68.7%, and 58.1%, respectively. Pathological nodal disease, involved margins, increasing VII zonal extent, and concurrent zone 2 V PNS significantly worsened outcomes.

Conclusion: High rates of recurrent disease reflects the importance of adequate treatment of the primary. Surgery and post-operative radiotherapy remains the mainstay treatment. Outcomes are improved in early-stage disease and with clear surgical margins, reinforcing the need for prompt diagnosis and intervention.