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Mapping of Lymph Node Metastasis From Thoracic Esophageal Cancer: A Retrospective Study

  • Thoracic Oncology
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

This retrospective study was designed to investigate the optimal extent of dissection for thoracic esophageal cancer (EC) based on the incidence of lymph node metastasis (LNM).

Methods

We retrospectively identified 1014 patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma who underwent esophagectomy at our institution between May 2018 and November 2020. Also, the location and rate of LNM in relation to the postoperative pathological results were retrieved. We separately counted the metastasis rates of routinely excised lymph node stations according to the Japan Esophageal Society (JES) staging system.

Results

A total of 1666 consecutive patients were screened, and 1014 were enrolled. Generally, the rates of LNM in thoracic EC may be arranged in the descending order of station 7 > station 106recR > station 2 > station 106recL. Esophageal cancer in the middle and lower thoracic segment also had a high rate of LNM along bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve. Stations 106tbL and 111 were the lowest frequent sites of metastasis with rate less than 5%; only the patients with clinically positive LNs need to dissect. The cT3-4, cN+, or G3 were independent risk factors for LNM and neoadjuvant therapy did not change the distribution of LNM for thoracic EC cases.

Conclusions

This study accurately identified the distribution of LNM for thoracic EC patients. Neoadjuvant therapy could not change the overall distribution of LNM in thoracic EC patients. However, whether LNs dissection at stations 106tbL and 111 is related to the survival of thoracic EC or not, needs a long follow-up time to verify.

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Funding

Special Program for Basic Resource Survey of the Ministry of Science and Technology (2019FY101101).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China

    Yafan Yang PhD, Yin Li PhD, Jianjun Qin PhD, Ruixiang Zhang PhD, Xiankai Chen MD, Jie He PhD & Shugeng Gao PhD

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  1. Yafan Yang PhD
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  2. Yin Li PhD
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  3. Jianjun Qin PhD
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  5. Xiankai Chen MD
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Correspondence to Yin Li PhD or Jianjun Qin PhD.

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The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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The study was based on previous retrospective data; thus, no ethical approval and patient consent were required.

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Yang, Y., Li, Y., Qin, J. et al. Mapping of Lymph Node Metastasis From Thoracic Esophageal Cancer: A Retrospective Study. Ann Surg Oncol 29, 5681–5688 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-022-11867-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-022-11867-9

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