We analyzed retrospectively 54 cases of metastatic cancers of the neck with unknown primary sites, treated with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and combined modalities at Korea Cancer Center Hospital from Jan. 1988 to Dec. 1992. Mean age of the patients was 53.9 years, with a male predominance of 4.4 to 1. The common age groups were 6th and 7th decades (each 17 cases, 31.5%). Histopathologically, squamous cell carcinomas(34 cases, 63.0%) were the most common, followed by the poorly differentiated carcinomas(11 cases, 20.4%), undifferentiated carcinomas(5 cases, 9.3%), adenocarcinomas(3 cases, 5.6%). Lymph nodes containing tumor were distributes symmetrically between both sides of the neck. The jugular lymph nodes were most often involved. According to the criteria of the AJCC on staging,
N1 was 1 case, N2a 2 cases, N2b 23 cases, N2c 5 cases and
N3 23 cases. Twenty seven patients were received surgery and post-operative radiotherapy with or without adjuvant chemotherapy, 13 patients radiotherapy with or without adjuvant chemotherapy and 4 patients surgery only. Overall 2 and 5 year survival rates by actuarial method were 31.4 and 22.8%. The primary lesions were discovered in 11 patients(20.4%). The primary sites were lung(4 cases, 7.4%), mouth floor(2 cases) and hypopharynx, soft palate, tonsil, gum and breast(1 case of each).
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