Table 2 Results of histopathologic examination and CK19 mRNA real-time RT–PCR in the various cervical lymph node levels expressed as the number of positive levels/total number of levels investigated

From: Detection of occult carcinomatous diffusion in lymph nodes from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using real-time RT–PCR detection of cytokeratin 19 mRNA

 

Oral cavity

Oropharynx

Hypopharynx

Larynx

All tumours

Lymph node levels a

HES

RT–PCR

HES

RT–PCR

HES

RT–PCR

HES

RT–PCR

HES

RT–PCR

Level I

2/10

4/10

0/2

0/2

0/0

0/0

0/0

0/0

2/12

4/12

Level IIa

1/9

5/9

1/5

1/5

9/24

12/24

0/2

0/2

12/40

18/40

Level IIb

0/9

7/9

0/7

2/7

5/23

9/23

0/2

0/2

6/41

18/41

Level III

0/9

2/9

0/7

1/7

6/24

8/24

0/2

0/2

6/42

11/42

Level IV

0/7

2/7

0/7

2/7

1/23

7/23

0/2

0/2

1/39

11/39

Level V

0/0

0/0

1/1

1/1

1/2

1/2

0/0

0/0

2/3

2/3

Level VI

0/0

0/0

0/0

0/0

0/1

0/1

0/0

0/0

0/1

0/1

Total

5/44

20/44

2/29

7/29

22/97

37/97

0/8

0/8

29/178

64/178

%

11.4

45.5

6.9

24.1

22.7

38.1

0

0

16.3b

36.0b

  1. CK19=cytokeratin 19; HES=haematoxylin–eosin–safran; RT–PCR=reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction.
  2. aNeck dissection samples have been categorised according to the topographic classification of cervical lymph node levels proposed by Robbins et al (2002).
  3. bDifference between HES and real-time RT–PCR results, P<0.0001.
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