Correlation of lymphovascular invasion and staging in patients undergoing lymphatic mapping for colon cancer.

Abstract

498 Background: Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is known as a negative prognostic factor in colon cancer (CCa) patients (pts). Sentinel lymph node mapping (SLNM) is known to upstage more pts than conventional surgery. A retrospective study was undertaken to determine the relationship between LVI and other known prognostic factors in CCa pts undergoing SLNM. Methods: Pts with CCa underwent SLNM. Data was collected for tumor (T) and node (N) stage, distant metastasis (M), size, grade, recurrence, and 5-year overall survival (5yrOS). Chi-square analysis was used to calculate the association between categorical variables with a p value of 0.05 as significant. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate 5yrOS. Results: We studied 310 CCa pts undergoing SLNM. Success rate was 100%. Nodal positivity was 46%. LVI was present in 34% of pts overall, in 66% node +ve pts versus only 7% in node -ve pts (p<0.001). Pts with LVI were proportionately of higher grade, larger size, higher T-stage, node +ve and higher AJCC stage. Pts with LVI had significantly higher recurrence and lower 5yrOS (Table). Conclusions: Presence of LVI positively correlated with all known prognostic factors in CCa pts undergoing SLNM, with higher recurrence and significantly lower 5yrOS. [Table: see text]