| Role of tonsillectomy in the search for a squamous cell carcinoma from an unknown primary in the head and neck. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 18243447 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Cervical metastases of an unknown primary lesion accounts for 5%-10% of head and neck cancers. Tonsillar carcinoma is the third most common, with an incidence in the region of 18%-47% of unknown primaries, and the likelihood of synchronous tonsillar tumour of about 5%-10%. Current practice for investigating an unknown primary includes computed tomography (CT) with or without magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and then, if necessary, 18-fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). This is followed by panendoscopy with biopsy from the potential primary sites and tonsillectomy. A five-year retrospective review of our database of metastatic squamous cell carcinomas from unknown primary sites identified patients with synchronous tonsillar tumours (n=5). All had clinically normal-looking tonsils; MRI was within normal limit and a PET-CT identified the ipsilateral tonsillar primary in three cases only. Bilateral tonsillectomy rather than a tonsillar biopsy in the search for an unknown primary has been standard practice in our unit. Identification of a second primary dictates planning for the primary site and in the long term, influences patients' survival. We therefore recommend that bilateral tonsillectomy should be standard in the investigation of patients who present with cervical metastases from an unknown primary in the head and neck region. |
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Authors:
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Prasad Kothari; Premjit S Randhawa; Roy Farrell |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article Date: 2008-02-20 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: The British journal of oral & maxillofacial surgery Volume: 46 ISSN: 1532-1940 ISO Abbreviation: Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg Publication Date: 2008 Jun |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2008-05-12 Completed Date: 2008-07-28 Revised Date: 2009-05-20 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 8405235 Medline TA: Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg Country: Scotland |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 283-7 Citation Subset: D; IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Northwick Park Hospital, London, United Kingdom. pskothari@aol.com |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
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radiography,
secondary* Head and Neck Neoplasms / radiography, secondary* Humans Lymphatic Metastasis Neck Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / radiography* Positron-Emission Tomography / methods Retrospective Studies Tomography, X-Ray Computed Tonsillar Neoplasms / radiography, surgery* Tonsillectomy* |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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