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Should upfront neck dissection in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma obviate the need for chemo in a T1N2 oropharyngeal cancer with no ECE?

Some ENTs advocate for a neck dissection as a way to avoid chemotherapy if there is a high chance there is no ECE. This is without removing the primary site. Would you treat with RT alone for a T1 BOT that had a neck dissection with 2 lymph nodes and no ECE (primary not resected)
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Radiation Oncology · Moffitt Cancer Center
Answered on

While I do not advocate a neck dissection to avoid chemotherapy, when these patients come to our institution already having a ND performed, if there is no ENE and the primary tumor is small, I think RT alone is reasonable.

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