TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical and pathologic factors predictive of positive radiologic findings in high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
AU - Marrazzo, Gerardo
AU - Thorpe, Ryan
AU - Condie, Daniel
AU - Pinho, Marco C.
AU - Srivastava, Divya
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - BACKGROUND At present, there exists considerable clinical uncertainty regarding the role of radiologic imaging in the staging and management of high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (hrSCC). OBJECTIVE The authors sought to investigate the clinical and pathologic features predictive of bony invasion, perineural invasion, or lymphadenopathy in patients that had undergone head and neck imaging for hrSCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS The authors conducted a single-center retrospective chart review of patients (n = 82) that had undergone head and neck imaging for hrSCC. RESULTS Twenty-nine percent (24/82) of patients in the study had positive findings on radiologic imaging. Immunocompromised patients were more likely to have the radiologic finding of lymphadenopathy (p = .04). Tumor size was found to correlate with the radiologic finding of bony invasion (correlation coefficient = 0.40, p = .0002). There was no relationship between either high risk location or high risk histopathology and positive radiologic findings. The low number of patients and its retrospective nature are study limitations. CONCLUSION The clinical features of host immunosuppression and tumor size are predictive of positive imaging findings in hrSCC. The decision to perform radiologic imaging in patients with hrSCC may be influenced by these factors, but continue to be more firmly guided by physical exam and clinical suspicion.
AB - BACKGROUND At present, there exists considerable clinical uncertainty regarding the role of radiologic imaging in the staging and management of high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (hrSCC). OBJECTIVE The authors sought to investigate the clinical and pathologic features predictive of bony invasion, perineural invasion, or lymphadenopathy in patients that had undergone head and neck imaging for hrSCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS The authors conducted a single-center retrospective chart review of patients (n = 82) that had undergone head and neck imaging for hrSCC. RESULTS Twenty-nine percent (24/82) of patients in the study had positive findings on radiologic imaging. Immunocompromised patients were more likely to have the radiologic finding of lymphadenopathy (p = .04). Tumor size was found to correlate with the radiologic finding of bony invasion (correlation coefficient = 0.40, p = .0002). There was no relationship between either high risk location or high risk histopathology and positive radiologic findings. The low number of patients and its retrospective nature are study limitations. CONCLUSION The clinical features of host immunosuppression and tumor size are predictive of positive imaging findings in hrSCC. The decision to perform radiologic imaging in patients with hrSCC may be influenced by these factors, but continue to be more firmly guided by physical exam and clinical suspicion.
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U2 - 10.1097/DSS.0000000000000526
DO - 10.1097/DSS.0000000000000526
M3 - Article
C2 - 26517320
AN - SCOPUS:84948703040
SN - 1076-0512
VL - 41
SP - 1405
EP - 1410
JO - Dermatologic Surgery
JF - Dermatologic Surgery
IS - 12
ER -