Objective: To determine the relationship of lymph node metastasis with smoking in T1 and T2 staged squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of tongue.
Design: An analytical study.
Place and duration of study: ENT Department of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, from 1st January 2001 to 31st December 2002.
Patients and methods: A total of 60 patients of T1 and T2 of SCC of oral tongue were selected. These patients were divided into two groups on the basis of history of smoking. Also these patients were clinically examined for lymph node metastasis and FNAC done for the confirmation of diagnosis. Odds ratio (OR) and p-value were statistically determined to asses the association between lymph node metastasis and smoking.
Results: The odds ratio for patients with history of smoking to develop lymph node metastasis was 1.896 but association was statistically insignificant (p = 0.24).
Conclusion: This study indicates that although smoking increases the risk for lymph node metastasis but the association is insignificant in T1 and T2 staged SCC of tongue.