Prognostic significance of venous invasion and maximum standardized uptake value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in surgically resected T1N0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to analyze the risk factors of recurrence in patients with early stage esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 190 patients with confirmed T1N0M0 ESCC after curative esophagectomy. The following potential prognostic factors for recurrence were investigated: age, sex, pathologic T category, tumor location, differentiation grade, tumor size, venous invasion, angiolymphatic invasion, perineural invasion and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the primary tumor. ResultsThere were 174 male and 16 female patients with a median age of 66.0 years (range, 42.0–79.0 years). The pathologic status of the surgically resected ESCCs was T1a in 93 patients (48.9%) and T1b in 97 patients (51.1%). The median number of dissected lymph nodes was 35 (range, 10 to 86), and all lymph nodes were negative for tumors. The multivariate analysis showed presence of venous invasion [HR (hazard ratio), 11.433; P < 0.001) and SUVmax ≥ 3.2 (HR, 2.830; P = 0.011) as independent risk factors for recurrence. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 25.0% for patients with venous invasion and 78.9% for those without (P < 0.001). The 5-year RFS was 67.1% for patients with an SUVmax ≥3.2 and 81.5% for those with an SUVmax <3.2 (P = 0.003). ConclusionsVenous invasion and high SUVmax could be important prognostic factors coupled with the TNM staging system, in patients with early stage ESCC.