BACKGROUND: The current @entity213 ( @entity213 ) staging system may not capture the full prognostic implications of regional lymph node involvement. This study investigated the impact of the level of lymph node @entity3 (LNM) on survival. METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry was queried for oral cavity (OC), oropharynx (OP), larynx (LAR), and hypopharynx (HP) @entity213 . A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate whether the level of LNM was an independent prognostic factor. Site-specific recursive-partitioning analysis was performed to classify @entity1 into different risk groups. RESULTS: In all, 14,499 @entity1 , including OC (n   =   2463), OP (n   =   8567), LAR (n   =   2332), and HP @entity1 (n   =   1137), were analyzed. Both the American Joint Committee on @entity5 (AJCC) N classification and the level of LNM showed significant effects on overall survival (OS) in @entity1 with OC, OP, or LAR @entity213 but not in @entity1 with @entity213 . In @entity1 with N2 disease, the AJCC subclassification (N2a, N2b, or N2c) was significantly associated with the OS of @entity1 with OP and LAR @entity213 but not with the OS of @entity1 with OC or @entity213 , whereas the level of LNM (primary, secondary, or tertiary) was significantly associated with the OS of @entity1 with OC, OP, and LAR @entity213 but not @entity213 . With recursive-partitioning analysis, a simple, primary site-specific prognostic tool integrating the AJCC T and N classifications and the level of LNM was designed, and it could be easily used by health care providers in clinic. CONCLUSIONS: The level of LNM is an independent prognostic factor for @entity1 with locally advanced @entity213 and could add to the prognostic value of AJCC T and N classifications in @entity1 with locally advanced @entity213 . @entity5 2016;122:534-545.    2015 American @entity5 Society.

Relation between the level of lymph node @entity3 and survival in locally advanced XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity3 :: ('MESH:D009362', 'Disease') :: ['metastasis'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['Cancer'] @entity213 :: ('MESH:C535575', 'Disease') :: ['head and neck squamous cell carcinoma', 'HNSCC', 'HP HNSCC']
@entity213 :: (MESH:C535575,Disease) :: ['head and neck squamous cell carcinoma']
