Abstract:

Objective〓〖WTBZ〗To detect lymph node micro-metastasis and explore the clinical significance of lymph node micrometastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. 〖WTHZ〗Methods〓〖WTBZ〗25 lymph nodes taken from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and frozen in the operations, and 223 lymph nodes taken form 14 cases of hypopharynx cancer or supraglottis cancer and serial sectioned were stained with the EnvisionTM system with monoclonal antibody CK(AE1/AE3) and H&E staining. The results were compared. 〖WTHZ〗Results〓〖WTBZ〗Two micro-metastasis lymph nodes which were not found by routine frozen section histological staining were found by the quick EnvisionTM system, and five micro-metastasis lymph nodes were detected from 216 H&E negative lymph nodes by using the immunohistochemisty EnvisionTM system. 〖WTHZ〗Conclusion〓〖WTBZ〗The EnvisionTM system is effective and reliable and can be used for intra-operative micro-metastasis examination. Patients with two or more micro-metastasis lymph nodes may have a poor prognosis.

Key words: Micrometastasis, Lymph nodes,

Head and neck neoplasm, Keratin, Protein expression