Nodal metastasis size predicts disease-free survival in cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma involving the parotid but not cervical nodes.

Size is an important prognostic factor in cSCCHN with parotid metastases, with optimal thresholds of ≤3, >3-4.5 and >4.5 cm. The prognostic impact of ENE was seen only in nodal metastases ≤3 cm in size. These results may have important implications for node size thresholds and inclusion of ENE in the American Joint Committee on Cancer N staging categories.