Objective：To define the incidence and topographical distribution of cervical lymphnode metastases in patients with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer.


Materials and Method
s：A retrospective study with review of chart, operation record and pathological reports of 116 patients with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer from Jan. 1993 to Dec. 1994. 86 patients were received neck dissection. 61 patients were laryngeal cancer and 25 patients were hypophryngeal cancer(all of them was pyriform sinus cancer).


Results
：Metastatic rate was as follows ; glottic cancer ; 18.9%, supraglottic cancer ; 50%, hypopharyngeal cancer ; 80%. Topographical distributions were as follows ; 1) glottic cancer(7 cases) : level II 5 cases(71.4%), level III 5 cases(71.4%), level IV 3 cases(42.9%), level V 1 cases(14.3%). 2) supraglottic cancer(24 cases) : level II(87.5%), level III 18(75%), level IV 8(33.3%), level V 2(8.3%). 3) hypopharyngeal cancer(20 cases) : level II 15(75%), level III 13(65%), level IV 7(35%), level V 2(10%). Metastatic node was abscent in level I in each of 3 malignancy.


Conclusion
：Cervical lymphnode metastatic rate of supraglottic and hypopharyngeal cancer was high(p<0.05) and their common metastatic sites were level II, level III and level IV. Metastatic rate of glottic & supraglottic cancer was correlated with primary T stage, but in hypopharyngeal cancer showed high metastatic rate in whole cases above T2 primary stage.