Diagnosis and Surgical Management of Oral Cancer Flashcards
_____ are part of a group of cancers commonly referred to as head and neck cancers,
and they comprise about 85% of that category.
Oral cancers
T/F: Oral cancer can develop in any part of the oral cavity or the oropharynx.
True
Epithelium: “ 90% of oral cancer cases is _______ and they arise in
epithelial surface layer of oral mucosa.
Squamous cell carcinoma”
What are the 2 most common areas for SCC in oral cavity?
Lips
Tongue
______: way SCC spreads
Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity first grows locally by progressive infiltration,
invasion and destruction of the surrounding tissue leaving them poorly demarcated.
• Important to local extension is the anatomic location of the tumor and the adjacent tissues next to
the tumor.
• Muscle is easily invaded while periosteum offers a good barrier to invasion.
Local Invasion
_____ spread of SCC
As the tumor progresses, the oral cancer spreads to the regional lymph nodes of the neck through the
lymphatic channel.
This is the most important and most frequent pathway for the spread of oral squamous cell
carcinoma.
• The cancer invades the local lymphatic supply and travels to the regional lymph node(s) draining the site.
- Usually oral squamous cell carcinoma spreads to the ipsilateral cervical lymph nodes i.e lymph nodes on the same side of the neck as the cancer.
- The lymph node containing the tumor cells is typically firm to stony hard (Indurated), non-tender and enlarged.
- Lymph nodes are freely movable at first but as the tumor breaks through the capsule, the node becomes fixed.
- Lymphadenopathy does not indicate metastasis for certain as it can result from inflammation associated with the presence of tumor also.
Lymphatic Spread
Does lymphatic spread usually occur on the ipsilateral or contralateral side?
Ipsilateral
___ spread of SCC
• In the later stages of the disease process, the tumor spreads into the vascular channel
(hematogenous metastasis) and may seed other parenchymal sites if tumor invasion is not
controlled at the lymphatic level.
• The usual sites of secondary spread (distant metastases) include the lungs, liver, bone, brain, and
adjacent skin, as well as other sites, depending on the tumor histology.
Distant Metastasis Through Hematogenous Spread
• It is important to evaluate the medical status of the patient in detail before
finalizing a surgical treatment plan.
Health History
T/F: Lymphatic spread usually occurs first in the uppermost, then middle and finally the lower cervical lymph nodes.
True
The most commonly involved node in case of oral and pharyngeal cancer is the ________) lymph nodes.
subdigastric (juglo-digastric
It is important to be aware of the phenomena of “________” of the primary oral
cancer into the Lymph nodes of the neck.
• In this case you will not be able to detect any lymph node enlargement by routine
clinical and radiographic examination. However, there is microscopic metastasis of the
oral squamous cell carcinoma from the oral cavity into the neck.
Occult Metastasis “
Primary Site
– Lower lip
What lymph nodes are most likely to be affected?
– Submental nodes
Primary Site
– Floor of the Mouth
What lymph nodes are most likely to be affected?
– Submental nodes
Primary site
– Posterior mouth
What lymph nodes are most likely to be affected?
– Superior jugular/digastric
Primary Site
– Oropharynx
What lymph nodes are most likely to be affected?
– Jugulo-digastric chain or retropharyngeal nodes
Is MRI or CT scan more precise in identifying tumor necrosis?
CT
Can CT or MRI detect lymph nodes smaller than 1 cm with occult metastasis?
NO
• In a patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, it is important to determine the extent of bone
involvement of the tumor process. Bone scans are highly sensitive in detecting earlier changes in the bone.
• Bone invasion is considered positive when bone scans reveal an asymmetrical or increased activity in the
area of jaw bone which corresponded to the clinical site of the primary tumor. Thus, they help clinicians
with preoperative evaluation of any evident tumor infiltration of bone.
• Although the Bone scans lack anatomical definition, they are useful in planning treatment for a patient
with oral cancer planning treatment for a patient with oral cancer.
Bone Scan
• PET provides information about the metabolic activity of the tissues.
• Positron emission tomography (PET) has been used to assist in the diagnosis of lymph node
metastasis or spread of tumor to other parts of the body.
• A minimal amount of tumor tissue must be present for the finding to be positive. Thus,
precision of PET is limited to about 5 mm.
PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Scan
The ______ system is the most widely used cancer staging system in the world
TNM
What does T stand for in TNM system?
T - the size and depth of the primary tumor