V-shaped resection of lip cancer

Lip cancer accounts for 1% to 4% of systemic cancer and is the second most common malignant tumor in the head, face, and neck. Most of the malignant tumors of the lips are squamous cell carcinoma, while sarcoma, spindle cell carcinoma, melanoma, etc. are rare. Lip cancer is superficial and sensitive to radiation therapy. Therefore, for a wide range of patients, radiation therapy can be performed first, and surgery should be considered after the tumor shrinks. The lymph on the skin and mucosa of the upper lip is drained to the ipsilateral, subauricular, posterior, and submandibular lymph nodes on the ipsilateral side; the lower lip is drained to the submandibular lymph nodes and ipsilateral or contralateral submandibular lymph nodes, and finally injected into the upper cervical deep lymph nodes [Figure 12] -1]. Lip cancer mostly occurs in the lower lip of men, and only about 10% of cervical lymph node metastases occur, so many patients with lips cancer do not need to perform lymph node removal. However, if there is regional lymphadenopathy, the lymph nodes should be removed at the same time as the resection of the lip cancer. Lip cancer is easier to diagnose, and patients are mostly early, so many patients can get better results with v-shaped resection.