Case Report: Metastatic central compartment in tongue carcinoma and it’s management

Abstract

Tongue malignancies predominantly drain into Level I, II and III cervical lymph nodes. Metastasis of tongue primaries into these lymph nodes of the neck is a common phenomenon which warrants neck dissection. After the surgical intervention, there could be alteration in the lymphatic drainage of the oral cavity causing metastasis to aberrant levels of the neck. We present one such case which was previously operated for tongue cancer where wide local excision of lesion and neck dissection was done. The patient then reported with metastasis over Level VI and VII. Involvement of the central compartment of the neck in oral cavity cancers is a very rare occurrence but is possible. It is imperative to evaluate all the levels of neck for metastasis especially in previously operated cases.