Abdominal ultrasound in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma staging: yes or no?

Purpose Abdominal ultrasound is a diagnostic staging procedure for distant metastases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, currently performed abdominal staging procedures do not follow consistent standards. Therefore, this retrospective study on 498 patients aimed at investigating on abdominal ultrasound as a staging procedure in HNSCC. Materials and methods A retrospective analysis of 498 head and neck cancer patients treated in our Department of Head and Neck Surgery between 2008 and 2015 was performed. Disease-related data were collected over a mean follow-up time of 30.3 months, and results of abdominal ultrasound were analyzed. Results 426 patients received abdominal ultrasound as a staging procedure. 7% (29) were suspicious for metastases. In 19 cases (66%), the detected abnormalities were masses of the liver. In four patients, abdominal metastases were confirmed at the time of initial diagnosis. 16 patients developed abdominal metastases in the course of the disease (on average 623 days after initial diagnosis). 19 out of 20 patients with abdominal metastases had an N2/N3 cervical lymph node status. In this study, the negative predictive value of abdominal ultrasound for HNSCC staging was 99.03%, while the positive predictive value yielded 5.88% (N2/N3-patients). Conclusion Only in patients with locally advanced lymph-node-status (N2/N3), abdominal ultrasound can be useful as a staging investigation to exclude abdominal metastasis in HNSCC patients. For N0/N1 patients, abdominal ultrasound might be dispensed. Of note, in case of a positive result, further diagnostic procedures are mandatory.

Automated summary

This retrospective study aimed to investigate the use of abdominal ultrasound as a staging procedure in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Out of 426 patients who received abdominal ultrasound, 7% were suspected of metastasis, with the majority being liver masses. The study found that abdominal ultrasound had a negative predictive value of 99.03% and a positive predictive value of 5.88% in HNSCC patients with N2/N3 cervical lymph node status.