Lymph Node Burden and Mortality Risk in Hypopharynx and Larynx Cancer

Staging systems for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) vary by anatomic subsite. Nodal classifications across subsites are similar and are based on the size, number, and laterality of positive regional lymph nodes (LNs). In clinical practice, it is commonly held that contralateral nodal metastases are a poor prognosticator, and the same logic is generally applied to cases with large positive nodes. The American Joint Committee on Cancer's AJCC Staging Manual, 8th edition, to be implemented in 2018, continues using the traditional nodal characteristics and adds extranodal extension as an important feature.

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