CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Vol 21, 112-119, Copyright
© 1971 by American Cancer Society
Cervical Nodal Metastases of Unknown Origin
Joseph R. Barrie M.D.1,
William H. Knapper M.D.2, and
Elliott W. Strong M.D.3
1 Active Staff Surgeon. Emerson Hospital, Concord, Massachusetts; and Clinical Assistant, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
2 Assistant Attending Surgeon, Gastric and Mixed Tumor Service, Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases, New York, New York.
3 Attending Surgeon and Chief, Head and Neck Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases.
The records of 123 patients, almost all of whom were treated by radical surgery for cervical metastases from unknown primary malignant lesions at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from 1950 through 1964, have been analyzed. Primary sites were eventually identified in 38 patients (31 percent) whereas in 85 patients it has remained occult. Most patients (85 per-cent) had metastatic epidermoid cancer. The absolute 3-year survival of all patients was 30 percent and the absolute 5-year survival 25 percent. Radical neck dissection will produce an apparent control of metastatic epidermoid carcinoma and melanoma to cervical lymph nodes in the absence of a demonstrable primary lesion in a significant number of patients.
