Predictors of Occult Lymph Node Metastasis and Prognosis in Patients with cN0 T1–T2 Supraglottic Laryngeal Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study

<b><i>Background:</i></b> This work aimed to explore the predictors of lymph node metastasis (LNM) and analyze the prognosis of patients with clinically node-negative (cN0) T1–T2 supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma (SGLC). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Data for 130 patients with cN0 T1–T2 SGLC who initially underwent surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Occult LNM incidence, relevant factors, and prognosis were analyzed. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Of the 130 patients with cN0 T1–T2 SGLC, 21 (16.2%) had occult LNM. Based on univariate and multivariable regression analyses, male sex and poor tumor differentiation predicted the incidence of occult LNM. The incidence of occult LNM was 20.9% in males and 5.1% in females (<i>p</i> = 0.035). Patients with poorly differentiated tumors had a higher incidence of occult LNM (42.9%) than patients with well-differentiated (10.3%) and moderately differentiated tumors (14.3%; <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.05). Thirteen patients (10%) had cervical recurrence, and all had T2 tumors (<i>p</i> = 0.02). The 5-year disease-specific survival rates were 70 and 90% for patients with and without LNM, respectively (<i>p</i> = 0.000). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Sex and tumor differentiation are potential predictors of occult nodal disease. Female patients with cN0 T1–T2 SGLC are less likely than male patients to have neck metastasis. Poorly differentiated tumors are associated with the frequency of neck metastasis, and selective neck dissection is strongly recommended for these tumors.