OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between positive lymph node number, involved region, positive lymph node ratio and the prognosis of patients with hypopharyngeal cancer.

METHODSClinicopatological data of 81 patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent hypopharyngectomy and cervical lymph node dissection from January 2000 to December 2005 in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The relationship between positive lymph node number, involved region, positive lymph node ratio and the prognosis was analyzed.

RESULTSThe rate of lymph node metastasis was 79.0% (64/81) in the 81 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer. Of which, the rates of unilateral metastasis and bilateral metastasis were 82.9% (53/64) and 17.1% (11/64), respectively. The rate of lymph node metastasis was increasing with advancing tumor stage. The median survival times were 81, 51 and 26 months in the patients with 0, 1-3 and ≥ 4 positive lymph nodes, respectively (P < 0.001), 84, 45 and 23 months in patients with 0, 1-2 and ≥ 3 involved regions, respectively (P < 0.001), and 84, 51 and 17 months in patients with positive lymph node ratio of 0, <10% and ≥ 10%, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that positive lymph node ratio, extracapsular infiltration, T classification and treatment modality were independent prognostic factors (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONSPositive lymph node ratio is an independent prognostic factor for hypopharyngeal cancer.