[Incidence of lymph node metastases in epithelial neoplasms of the oral cavity: risk factors].

The incidence of pathological neck nodes metastases in a group of 60 patients with a diagnosis of oral squamous carcinoma is reviewed. Risk factors are a size of primary more than 4 cm and tumors of the anterior two-third of the tongue. Carcinomas of oral tongue, also of a size less than 4 cm (T1,T2), have a high incidence of subclinical metastases.