1. Introduction

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the eighth most common cancer worldwide in males and is increasing significantly amongst females [1] Approximately half the patients with oral cancer present with stage I/II disease and up to 33% [2,3] have occult cervical disease undetectable by current imaging techniques (computed tomography [CT]/magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]/ultrasound/positron-emission tomography)[4,5].