RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The present study was designed to know and analyze the prevalence of pathological involvement of level IIB and V neck nodes in operable oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All treatment naïve, willing biopsy proven patients of age group 18-70â¯years with oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas undergoing surgery from May 2015 to December 2016 in a single tertiary care Institute were prospectively analyzed for level IIb and V involvement. RESULTS: A total of 199 patients met the selection criteria of the study. Most common site was buccal mucosa, majority were cT2 lesions and 90% underwent Modified neck dissection. 63% of patients had pN0 disease. The rate of involvement of level II b and V nodes was 3% and was associated with higher T size, disease burden in proximal basin and lymphovascular invasion. There was no skip metastasis to level IV. Only one patient had skip metastasis to levels V and IIB each. CONCLUSION: To conclude our data strongly supports omission of level IIb and level V nodal dissection routinely in patients with cT1 and T2 buccal cancers. However, a randomized controlled study to evaluate the morbidity as well as recurrence pattern between the selective and super-selective approach is warranted.