Association Between Tobacco Use and Metastatic Neck Disease

Objectives/Hypothesis Tobacco has multiple effects on connective tissues that might affect tumor behavior. This study examined the association between tobacco use and tumor behavior (lymphatic metastasis and extracapsular spread) in head and neck cancers. Study Design Chart audit. Methods Medical records of patients from the Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Pittsburgh, PA) with oral cavity, pharyngeal, and laryngeal cancers who underwent neck dissection were reviewed focusing on their tobacco use habits, as well as the clinical and pathological criteria of primary tumors and cervical lymph nodes. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to study the significance between pathological and tobacco use variables. Results The study included 171 patients. Both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed significant associations between tobacco use and pathological findings. Cervical metastasis was observed in 100% of tobacco users and 54% of nonusers (P