CANCER OF FLOOR OF MOUTH AND ITS LYMPHATIC SPREAD

A clinical analysis of fifty-three patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth is presented. The lymphatic dissemination is evaluated in relation to location and size of the primary lesion. More than 80 per cent of the lesions were located in the anterior lateral and middle regions, with 55 per cent of the patients having homolateral or contralateral cervical metastases. Lesions larger than 2 cm. had twice the incidence of metastases. The method of initial therapy and five year survival rates are presented. Lesions without metastases had a more optomistic prognosis (72 per cent) than those with metastases (18.5 per cent). © 1968.