Neck dissection after chemoradiotherapy: timing and complications.

OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence of postchemoradiotherapy (post-CRT) neck dissection (ND) complications; to ascertain whether timing (< 12 vs ≥ 12 weeks) from CRT to ND or other factors are associated with increased complications; and to determine whether ND timing influences disease control or survival. DESIGN Ten-year retrospective analysis. SETTING Tertiary care center. PATIENTS One hundred five patients with head and neck cancer undergoing ND after CRT. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Complications and survival variables compared between groups undergoing ND less than 12 weeks (less-than-12-weeks ND group) and 12 weeks or more (12-weeks-or-more ND group) after CRT. RESULTS Sixty-seven NDs were performed less than 12 weeks and 38 were performed 12 weeks or more after CRT. Patient characteristics, treatment, and ND pathology results were comparable between the 2 ND groups. The incidence of complications between the less-than-12-weeks and the 12-weeks-or-more ND groups included major wound complications in 8 of 67 (11.9%) vs 1 of 38 (2.6%; P = .15), minor wound complications in 11 of 67 (16.4%) vs 4 of 38 (10.5%; P = .56), airway complications in 7 of 67 (10.4%) vs 2 of 38 (5.3%; P = .48), and systemic complications in 9 of 67 (13.4%) vs 2 of 38 (5.3%; P = .32). The number of patients with at least 1 complication was significantly smaller in the 12-weeks-or-more ND group (P = .04). Multivariate analysis showed that radical ND was significantly associated with an increased number of complications, and higher radiation doses approached significance (P = .05). Induction chemotherapy was associated with fewer wound complications (P = .01). There were no significant differences in overall survival (P = .82), progression-free survival (P = .77), or regional relapse (P = .54) between groups. Positive ND findings were associated with diminished progression-free and overall survival. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that ND can be safely performed 12 weeks or more after CRT without adversely affecting surgical complications or survival variables.