Onkológia 4/2009

Clinical sight of the histopathological diagnosis of cervical lymph nodes metastases

The currently available preoperative clinical or imaging methods are unable to detect micrometastases, therefore the incidence of clinical or radiological occult metastases remains a significant. More sensitive techniques, such as immunohistochemistry, molecular analysis, and also serial sectioning of lymph nodes, can improve the detection of occult metastases. Subclinical metastases, occult metastases, or occult micrometastases can be distinguished from subpathological metastases or occult micrometastases, it can be detected by immunohistochemistry or molecular analysis. The presence of micrometastases and also isolated tumor cells has improving clinical and prognostic implications, therefore arise the need to create the criteria for aggressive or adjuvant treatment for selected patients.

Keywords: lymph node metastasis, micrometastasis, occult micrometastasis, isolated tumor cells, head and neck cancer