5-year Disease-specific Survival Rates Research Articles

Primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma arising from an odontogenic keratocyst: case series and literature review.

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic features of primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma arising from an odontogenic keratocyst (PIOSCC ex OKC) and comprehensively improve the understanding of this disease. Material and Methods We retrospectively investigated five cases of PIOSCC ex OKC at Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology. We also conducted a systematic review of studies on PIOSCC ex OKC by using online databases from their inception until February 2020. Results In our series of five cases, all lesions were located in the mandible. Three cases (60%) showed recurrent OKCs and two cases (40%) showed primary OKCs. During the follow-up period, one patient died of local relapse. No patients developed metastasis. On the basis of our literature survey, we selected 22 articles reporting 29 patients with PIOSCC ex OKC. Seven of these patients (24.1%) showed local recurrence, three patients (10.3%) developed cervical metastasis, three patients (10.3%) developed distant metastasis (in the pleura in one case and in the lung in two cases), and seven patients died from the disease during the follow-up period. The disease-specific 5-year survival rate in the study group was 53.2%. Through univariate and multivariate analysis, local recurrence was identified as the only significant independent prognostic factor for survival (P < 0.05). Conclusions The results suggest that PIOSCC ex OKC is a rare intermediate-grade malignancy. Although elective neck dissection is typically unnecessary, adequate therapy should be applied to achieve the lowest local recurrence rate possible to ensure a favorable survival rate. Key words:Primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma, odontogenic keratocyst, prognosis.

Malignant tumours of temporomandibular joint

BackgroundMalignant tumours of the temporomandibular joint (MTTMJ) are extremely rare. Studies describing its unique epidemiology, clinicopathological features, treatment and prognosis comprehensively are limited. To address these issues, current investigation was performed.MethodsA retrospective research was carried out by using population-based data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (1973–2016).ResultsData for a total of 734 patients, including 376 men and 358 women, was found. The median age was 47 years. The 5-year and 10-year disease specific survival (DSS) rates were 69.2 and 63.6%, respectively. Significant differences in DSS were found according to age, race, tumour type, AJCC/TNM stage, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and different treatment modalities (P < 0.05). In the multivariate survival analysis, age > 44 years and AJCC stage III and IV were associated with poor DSS.ConclusionMTTMJ was mostly found in white people with a median age of 47 years without any sex predominance. Patient’s age and AJCC stage was independent predictor of DSS.

Standard Treatment Remains the Recommended Approach for Patients with Bone Sarcoma Who Underwent Unplanned Surgery: Report from the Japanese Musculoskeletal Oncology Group.

BackgroundThe outcomes of unplanned surgery for bone sarcomas have not been frequently discussed. However, it is important to recognize patterns, treatment, and clinical outcomes of unplanned surgeries for patients with bone sarcomas. This multicenter study aimed to characterize the clinical outcomes of patients with bone sarcomas who underwent unplanned surgeries.Patients and MethodsData of 43 patients with bone sarcomas who underwent unplanned surgery between 2006 and 2017 were obtained from 23 hospitals in Japan. These included 18 cases of osteosarcoma, 9 of Ewing sarcoma, 8 of chondrosarcoma, and 6 of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. The study included 28 men and 15 women, with a mean age of 46 years. The mean follow-up duration was 59 months.ResultsThe main primary tumor sites were the femur (n = 19), spine (n = 6), pelvis (n = 5), tibia (n = 3), and humerus (n = 3). The primary diagnoses were benign bone tumor (n = 24), trauma (n = 7), bone metastasis (n = 5), osteomyelitis (n = 4), degeneration (n=2), and unknown (n = 1). As unplanned surgeries, curettage, with or without bone graft, was performed in 26 patients; internal fixation was performed in 7; spinal surgery in 5; arthroplasty in 4; and arthroscopy in one. Thirty-eight patients received additional standard treatments. Thirty-four of these patients underwent surgical tumor resections, including amputation (n = 10), and the remaining 4 received radiotherapy or carbon ion radiotherapy as additional standard treatments. The 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rates in patients with osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and chondrosarcoma were 65.5%, 58.3%, and 72.9%, respectively. Twelve (27.9%) patients developed local recurrences (LR); among the total 43 patients studied, the 5-year DSS rates were significantly worse for those who developed LR compared to those who did not (p = 0.03). The 5-year DSS rates in patients with and without LR were 44% and 73.8%, respectively.ConclusionWe recommend that patients who have undergone unplanned surgery be administered standard treatment, including the option of amputation because herein, LR was shown to be a risk factor for decreased DSS.

Clinical Implication of World Health Organization Classification in Patients with Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma in South Korea: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

BackgroundThe study aimed to compare the prognostic value of the 4th edition of World Health Organization classification (WHO-2017) with the previous WHO classification (WHO-2004) for follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC).MethodsThis multicenter retrospective cohort study included 318 patients with FTC from five tertiary centers who underwent thyroid surgery between 1996 and 2009. We evaluated the prognosis of patients with minimally invasive (MI), encapsulated angioinvasive (EA), and widely invasive (WI) FTC according to WHO-2017. Further, we evaluated the proportion of variation explained (PVE) and Harrell’s C-index to compare the predictability of disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).ResultsIn total, 227, 58, and 33 patients had MI-, EA-, and WI-FTC, respectively. During a median follow-up of 10.6 years, 46 (14.5%) patients had disease recurrence and 20 (6.3%) patients died from FTC. The 10-year DFS rates of patients with MI-, EA-, and WI-FTC were 91.1%, 78.2%, and 54.9%, respectively (P<0.001, PVE=7.1%, C-index=0.649). The corresponding 10-year DSS rates were 95.9%, 93.5%, and 73.5%, respectively (P<0.001, PVE=2.6%, C-index=0.624). The PVE and C-index values were higher using WHO-2017 than using WHO-2004 for the prediction of DFS, but not for DSS. In multivariate analysis, older age (P=0.02), gross extrathyroidal extension (ETE) (P=0.003), and distant metastasis (P<0.001) were independent risk factors for DSS.ConclusionWHO-2017 improves the predictability of DFS, but not DSS, in patients with FTC. Distant metastasis, gross ETE and older age (≥55 years) were independent risk factors for DSS.

Comparative Analysis of Acral Melanoma in Chinese and Caucasian Patients

Background Acral melanoma (AM) is a rare subtype of melanoma, which is one of the least common in Caucasian patients but is a common subtype of melanoma in Chinese patients. It is unclear if prognosis differs between Chinese and Caucasian patients diagnosed with AM. The aim of our study is to investigate patient characteristics and survival differences between Chinese and Caucasian AM patients. Methods Two large institutional melanoma databases from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC) and Mayo Clinic enterprise were retrospectively reviewed from 2009 to 2015. Clinicopathologic and survival data were collected and analyzed between the two groups. The primary outcome was disease-specific survival (DSS) and was calculated using the Kaplan Meier (KM) method. Results The Chinese group presented with more advanced disease compared with Caucasians: thicker Breslow depth (median 3.0 mm vs. 1.2 mm, p=0.003), more ulcerated disease (66.1% vs. 29%; p < 0.001), and advanced stages (stage II/III 84.3% vs. 37.1%; p < 0.001). No significant difference was identified in terms of age at diagnosis, location, histologic subtypes, or node positive rate. The 5-year DSS rate was 68.4% and 73% (p=0.56) in Chinese and Caucasians AM patients, respectively. Male gender, Breslow thickness, ulceration, and positive sentinel lymph nodes were independent poor prognostic factors on multivariate analysis. Conclusions There appears to be no difference in stage-stratified survival between Chinese and Caucasians, supporting the implementation of clinical trials for AM that could include both Chinese and Caucasian patients.

Lymph Node Ratio Is an Independent Prognostic Factor for Patients with Siewert Type II Adenocarcinoma of Esophagogastric Junction: Results from a 10-Year Follow-up Study.

Emerging evidences suggest that lymph node ratio (LNR), the number of metastatic lymph node (LN) to the total number of dissected lymph nodes (NDLN), may predict survival in multiple types of solid tumor. However, the prognostic role of LNR in adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) remains uninvestigated. The present study is intended to determine the prognostic value of LNR in the patients with Siewert type II AEG. A total of 342 patients with Siewert type II AEG who underwent R0 resection were enrolled in this study. The optimal cutoff of LNR was stratified into tertiles using X-tile software. The log-rank test was used to evaluate the survival differences, and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the independent prognostic variables. The optimal cutoff of LNR were classified as LNR = 0, LNR between 0.01 and 0.40, and LNR > 0.41. Patients with high LNR had a shorter 5- and 10-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rate (8.5%, 1.4%) compared with those with moderate LNR (20.4%, 4.9%) and low LNR (58.0%, 27.5%) (P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that LNR was an independent factor for DSS after adjusting for confounding variables (P < 0.05). Furthermore, after stratification by NDLN between NDLN < 15 group and NDLN ≥ 15 group, the LNR remained a significant predictor for DSS (P < 0.05). LNR is an independent predictor for DSS in patients with Siewert type II AEG regardless of NDLN. Patients with higher LNR have significantly shorter DSS.

Recurrent retroperitoneal sarcomas: Clinical outcomes of surgical treatment and prognostic factors

Background and purposeLocoregional recurrence after resection of primary retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) is a challenging therapeutic issue. The objective of this study was to identify clinicopathological factors predictive of overall survival (OS) and disease specific survival (DSS) after reoperation for recurrent RPS. Patients and methodsWe retrospectively collected data from the medical records of 800 patients who underwent resection for sarcoma at our Institution, from 1983 to 2015. Among these patients, 120 were treated for retroperitoneal sarcoma and 55 had a locoregional recurrence (LR). Four of them did not undergo surgery and thus were excluded from this study leaving 51 cases available for data analysis. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors. ResultsMedian overall survival was 33 months. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year OS rates were 75.5%, 47.1% and 31.6% respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that extension of surgery (P = 0.026), surgical margin status (P = 0.015) and histological grade of recurrent tumor (P = 0.047) were independent prognostic factors for OS. Median DSS was 48 months. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year DSS rates were 79.2%, 53.1% and 40.9%, respectively. At multivariate analysis, predictors of DSS were extension of surgery (P = 0.004), margin status (P = 0.011), histological grade of recurrent tumor (P = 0.008), and disease free interval (DFI) (P = 0.020). As regards histological subtype of recurrent RPS, at univariate analysis, well-differentiated liposarcoma (WDLS) was associated with better OS and DSS (P = 0.052 and P = 0.016 respectively) compared to dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLS). ConclusionsAccording to our findings, surgery is more beneficial in patients with low-grade sarcoma, WDLS and long DFI. The achievement of clear resection margins, rather than performing a multivisceral resection, appears to be a key factor to improve OS and DSS.

Comparing Survival Differences Between Breast-Conserving Therapy and Mastectomy in Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer

In 1990 breast-conserving therapy (BCT) was recommended as a preferred treatment for early-stage breast cancer by the NIH consensus statement based on randomized trials demonstrating BCT to have equivalent survival outcomes as mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer patients. BCT became more common while total mastectomy (TM) rates decreased. More recently, patients with early-stage breast cancer are undergoing TM with increasing frequency. In light of increasing TM rates and given significant changes in radiation, surgery and systemic therapies, several groups have examined long-term outcomes for patients undergoing TM vs BCT. Local-regional recurrence (LRR) rates with BCT have been reported to be lower than the 8-10% LRR range reported with the initial randomized trials. In addition, several groups have published slightly improved survival rates in patients undergoing BCT compared with TM. The aim of this study was to evaluate trends in TM rates for treatment of early-stage breast cancer at a single institution and compare overall survival (OS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), LRR and disease-specific survival (DSS) between breast conservation and TM. We identified clinical stage T1–2, N0–1, M0 breast cancer patients who underwent primary surgery from 1/1/2000 to 12/31/2014. TM and BCT rates were evaluated, and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used for comparison of survival differences between breast conserving surgery alone (BCS), BCT and TM with or without radiation therapy (RT). Of 12,034 patients included, 800 (6.7%) underwent BCS, 5,986 (49.7%) underwent BCT, 3.618 (30.1%) underwent TM without RT and 1,630 (13.5%) underwent TM with RT. Patients who underwent TM were younger, with more advanced and aggressive disease (larger tumors, positive lymph nodes, higher grade, and more likely to be ER/PR-negative or HER2-positive). TM rates increased over time in patients <=50 years old. At median follow-up time of 6.2 years, multivariable Cox model showed that patients who underwent BCT had a better DSS (HR: 0.8, P=0.02) and OS (HR: 0.7, P<0.001) and had a similar DMFS (HR: 0.9, P=0.3), but had increased LRR (HR: 1.3, P=0.04) compared to patients who underwent TM without RT. In patients undergoing TM with RT, there was no survival benefit found in OS, DSS and DMFS on multivariable analyses compared with patients who underwent BCT. Patients who underwent BCS alone had a worse OS, LRR and DMFS compared to patients undergoing BCT. 5-year LRR and DSS rates were similar between TM without RT and BCT groups. After adjusting for confounding variables, BCT showed improved OS and DSS compared with TM in early-stage breast cancer. These contemporary data may help physicians in surgical decision making for patients who are candidates for either mastectomy or breast conservation since they suggest that BCT is at least equivalent to TM with respect to OS and DSS.

The Benefit of Primary Tumor Surgical Resection in Distant Metastatic Carcinomas of the Thyroid.

Thyroid cancer with distant metastasis (TCDM) at diagnosis has significantly worse survival rates when compared to localized/regional thyroid cancer. This study sought to report on the characteristics of patients presenting with TCDM and the potential survival advantage of surgical resection. Data were acquired from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database with cases from 2004 to 2015. TCDM cases (n = 2,558) were identified from the SEER database. The Bonferroni correction was applied for multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis was utilized to obtain disease-specific survival (DSS) rates. Cox regression analysis was utilized to identify independent factors significantly associated with survival. The average age of diagnosis of TCDM was 62.0 (±17.5) years. Patients were predominantly white (74.6%), female (54.6%), in a relationship (56.0%), and between ages 36 and 80 years (76.4%). Cases consisted of papillary (57.2%), follicular (16.0%), medullary (8.9%), anaplastic (17.9%) TCDM histological variants. Overall 1-, 5-, and 10-year DSS rates were 72.0%, 56.8%, and 43.8%, respectively. Anaplastic and medullary variants had the worst 10-year DSS (0% and 25.5%, respectively). Patients who underwent surgical resection only and surgical resection with radiation were 49% and 59% less likely to die, respectively. Treatment, age, histology, T staging, relationship status, and metastasis site were determined to be significant predictors of survival. Surgical resection with radiation was found to be a significant predictor of survival after applying the Bonferroni correction for all thyroid cancer variants except medullary. To increase survival, surgical intervention should be recommended in patients who are deemed to be medically tolerant of surgery. 4 Laryngoscope, 131:1026-1034, 2021.

Is it enucleation or organ-sparing techniques for choroid melanoma treatment?

Choroid melanoma belongs to malignant tumors. The choice of treatment modality depends on a tumor size and site, ocular tunics conditions, clinic logistics, and the patient’s will. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment of patients with choroid melanoma. The data of the Belarusian Cancer Registry and the case histories of patients with choroid melanoma (C69.3, ICD-10) over the period of 1999–2018 were studied. The incidence rates were evaluated on the basis of the analysis of the absolute number of persons taken ill with the disease, crude intensive rates calculated per 1,000,000 of population. To calculate the survival, the disease-specific cumulative 5-year survival rate was used. Significance evaluation was made applying the chisquare test. The incidence rates varied over the 20-year period and were 0.9 ‰ on the average. Enucleation was performed in 724 patients, 13.9 % (101 patients) being registered with synchronous and metachronous cancer. Patients with a sole tumor of choroid melanoma were analyzed. The amount of enucleations performed decreased by a factor of 1.8. To evaluate the survival, the groups of patients with large tumors were formed after enucleation and combination treatment was carried out. Of 623 patients subjected to enucleation, disease progression was established in 159 (25.5 %). Of 159 patients, the onset of disease progression occurred in 25 (15.7 %) in the 1st year, in 50 (31.5 %) in the 2nd year, and in 84 (52.8 %) in the 4th year and later. In the combination treatment group, consisting of 58 patients, decease progression was ascertained in 10 (17.2 %): in the 1st year – in 1 (10.0 %), in the 2nd year – in 6 (60.0 %), and in the 4th and later – in 3 (30.0 %). The survival rate after the organ-sparing treatment is insignificantly higher and increases to the 5th year of the follow-up, although the data are statistically insignificant (p &gt; 0.5). At present, enucleation does not play the leading role in the choice of treatment modality for patients with clinical diagnosis of choroid melanoma. The disease-specific cumulative 5-year survival rate in patients receiving organ-sparing treatment was 85.7 ± 5.1 %, and in those subjected to enucleation – 67.2 ± 2.2 %, the data being statistically insignificant (p &gt; 0.5). The promising trend in treating choroid melanoma patients is the development of organ-sparing treatment techniques.

Comparison Between Primary and Secondary Pediatric Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma of the Head and Neck.

Objectives: Secondary mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the head and neck is occasionally observed in childhood cancer survivors. The goal of this research was to compare the demographic and pathologic characteristics, as well as survival between primary and secondary MEC in children and adolescent patients.Methods: Pediatric patients (younger than 19 years old) with surgically treated MEC of the head and neck were retrospectively enrolled at the Affiliated Children's Hospital of Zhengzhou University and divided into two groups based on their cancer history. Demographic, pathologic, and survival characteristics between the two groups were compared. The main study interests were recurrence-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and disease-specific survival (DSS).Results: The primary and secondary groups consisted of 63 and 15 patients, respectively. The two groups had similar distributions in terms of age, sex, tumor stage, neck lymph node stage, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, p53, Bcl-2, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, and Ki-67 index. The 10-year RFS rates for the primary group and secondary group were 80 and 71%, respectively, and this difference was not significant (p = 0.464). The 10-year DSS rates for the primary group and secondary group were 83 and 82%, respectively, and this difference was also not significant (p = 0.649). The 10-year OS rates for the primary group and secondary group were 74 and 51%, respectively; this difference was significant (p = 0.023). Further Cox model analysis confirmed the independence of a previous cancer history (p = 0.043) in decreasing OS.Conclusions: Pediatric patients with secondary MEC exhibit similar demographic, pathologic, and molecular characteristics as primary patients but worse OS. These findings indicate that special disease management approaches might be needed for secondary patients.

Long-term outcomes after endoscopic submucosal dissection for differentiated-type early gastric cancer that fulfilled expanded indication criteria: A prospective cohort study.

Background and AimEndoscopic resection for early gastric cancer (EGC) is widely performed. However, there is still a paucity of strong evidence regarding long‐term outcomes after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for the expanded indication criteria of the Japanese guidelines (ver. 2010).MethodsEndoscopic submucosal dissection was performed in patients with EGC that met the expanded indication criteria: (i) cT1a, differentiated‐type EGC of 2 to 5 cm, ulcer negative or (ii) cT1a, differentiated‐type EGC of ≤3 cm, ulcer positive. Patients whose pathological examination fulfilled the curative resection criteria were then enrolled in this cohort study: negative vertical margin, negative lymphovascular invasion, and (i) pT1a, differentiated‐type, and ulcer negative; (ii) pT1a, differentiated‐type, ≤3 cm, and ulcer positive; or (iii) pT1b1 (<500‐μm submucosal invasion), differentiated‐type, and ≤3 cm. Patients with only a positive horizontal margin as a noncurative factor were included for follow‐up.ResultsFrom September 2003 to February 2012, a total of 356 patients underwent ESD, and 214 were enrolled in the survival analysis. One hundred twenty patients (56%) had >2 cm in diameter and ulcer‐negative lesions, and 94 (44%) had ≤3 cm and ulcer‐positive lesions. The vital status at 5 years after ESD was confirmed in all (100%) patients. No local or metastatic recurrence was detected; however, 26 metachronous gastric cancers developed, and 1 patient died of metachronous gastric cancer. The 5‐year disease‐specific and overall survival rates were 99.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 97.2%–100%) and 93.9% (95% CI, 89.8%–96.4%), respectively.ConclusionESD for EGC that fulfills the expanded criteria is feasible and shows favorable long‐term outcomes.

Multidisciplinary treatment for colorectal liver metastases in elderly patients

BackgroundLimited data describe the therapeutic practice and outcomes of colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) in elderly patients. We aimed to evaluate the impact of age on multidisciplinary treatment for CRLMs.MethodsWe reviewed treatment and outcomes for patients in different age groups who underwent initial hepatectomy for CRLMs from 2004 through 2012.ResultsWe studied 462 patients who were divided into three groups by age: ≤ 64 years (n = 265), 65–74 years (n = 151), and ≥ 75 years (n = 46). The rate of major hepatectomy and incidence of postoperative complications did not differ between groups. Adjuvant chemotherapy was used less in the ≥ 75-year group (19.6%) than that in the ≤ 64 (54.3%) or 65–74 age group (43.5%). Repeat hepatectomy for liver recurrence was performed less in the ≥ 75-year group (35%) than in the ≤ 64 (57%) or 65–74 (66%) age group. The 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rate of 44.2% in the ≥ 75-year group was lower than in the ≤ 64 (59.0%) or 65–74 (64.7%) age group. Multivariate analysis revealed age ≥ 75 years was an independent predictor of poor DSS.ConclusionsLiver resection for CRLMs can be performed safely in elderly patients. However, repeat resection for recurrence are performed less frequently in the elderly, which may lead to the poorer disease-specific prognosis.

Clinicopathological Characteristics and Survival Outcomes of Primary Hepatic Neuroendocrine Tumor: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Population-Based Study.

BackgroundPrimary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor (PHNET) is a rare primary liver tumor that remains poorly understood. Here, we explored the clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes of PHNET patients.Material/MethodsPHNET patients diagnosed between 1988 and 2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were enrolled in the cohort. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to determine the survival outcomes. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to identify the risk factors for overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).ResultsA total of 291 PHNET patients from the SEER database met the inclusion criteria for analysis. The majority of the patients were female (53.6%), white (77.7%), and married (49.5%). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS were 57.1%, 39.4%, and 30.2%, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year DSS rates were 61.3%, 44.3%, and 36.7%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression models showed that older age, unmarried status, poor differentiated grade, and no tumor-directed surgery were independent risk factors for poor OS and DSS.ConclusionsOlder age, unmarried status, poor differentiated grade, and no tumor-directed surgery were associated with poorer prognosis of PHNET. Surgical resection is an effective and reliable treatment method for patients with PHNET.

Proposal of a novel subclassification of pN3b for improvement the prognostic discrimination ability of gastric cancer patients

IntroductionIn the recent edition of TNM staging system, pN3b gastric cancer were separated into the staging system for better prognosis accuracy. The definition of pN3b contains a large range of metastasis lymph nodes (mLNs). However, few studies have evaluated the prognosis of pN3b patients and it remains unknown whether these patients were reasonably assigned into the same substage. Materials and methodsA total of 642 pN3b patients from a multi-institutional cohort in China were included. Disease-specific survival (DSS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to identify the independent prognostic factors. Restricted cubic spine model was used to specify the association between the continuous variables and the logarithm Hazard ratios (HRs). The optimal cut-off value of mLNs for DSS was identified using the X-tile software. ResultsThe 5-year DSS rate of total pN3b cohort was 15.4%. The smooth curves showed a non-linear association between the mLNs and the logarithm HRs. All pN3b gastric cancer patients were divided into two subclassifications (pN3b1: 16-24 mLNs, pN3b2: ≥25 mLNs). Significant survival difference was observed between two subclassifications (P = 0.048). Additionally, more LNs examined could decrease the death risk of pN3b patients and bring survival benefit only in pN3b1 patients, but not in pN3b2 patients. ConclusionsWe proposed a novel subclassification of pN3b patients, which assigned patients into two subclassifications with significant survival difference. Future study should explore the prognosis value based on this novel subclassification in TNM staging system.

Long-term outcome of endoscopic resection for intramucosal esophageal squamous cell cancer: a secondary analysis of the Japan Esophageal Cohort study.

Prospectively collected long-term data of patients undergoing endoscopic resection for superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are limited. The aim of this study was to determine the prospectively collected long-term outcomes of endoscopic resection for ESCC as a secondary analysis of the Japan Esophageal Cohort (JEC) study. Patients who underwent endoscopic resection of intramucosal ESCC at 16 institutions between September 2005 and May 2010 were enrolled in the JEC study. All patients underwent endoscopic examination with iodine staining at 3 and 6 months after resection, and every 6 months thereafter. We investigated clinical courses after endoscopic resection, survival rates, and cumulative incidence of metachronous ESCC. 330 patients (mean age 67.0 years) with 396 lesions (mean size 20.4 mm) were included in the analysis. Lesions were diagnosed as high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia in 17.4 % and as squamous cell carcinoma in 82.6 % (limited to epithelium in 28.4 %, to lamina propria in 55.4 %, and to muscularis mucosa in 16.2 %). En bloc resection was achieved in 291 (73.5 %). The median follow-up period was 49.4 months. Local recurrences occurred in 13 patients (3.9 %) and were treated by endoscopic procedures. Lymph node metastasis occurred in two patients (0.6 %) after endoscopic resection. The 5-year overall, disease-specific, and metastasis-free survival rates were 95.1 %, 99.1 %, and 94.6 %, respectively. The 5-year cumulative incidence rate of metachronous ESCC was 25.7 %. Our study demonstrated that endoscopic resection is an effective treatment for intramucosal ESCC, with favorable long-term outcomes.

Comparison Between PET-CT-Guided Neck Dissection and Elective Neck Dissection in cT1-2N0 Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Objective: Neck management in cT1-2N0 tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remains controversial. Our goal was to compare the survival difference between PET-CT–guided neck dissection and elective neck dissection (END) for the treatment of cT1-2 tongue SCC.Methods: Patients with surgically treated cT1-2N0 tongue SCC were retrospectively enrolled. These patients were divided into two groups. Group A: The decision of whether to perform neck dissection was mainly based on the results of preoperative PET-CT examinations. Group B: Patients received END treatment without preoperative PET-CT examinations. The study endpoints were regional control (RC) and disease-specific survival (DSS). The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate the survival rates.Results: Group A consisted of 66 patients, and 16 patients underwent neck dissection owing to positive PET-CT results. Group B consisted of 169 patients. The 5-year RC rates in group A and group B were 86 and 87%, respectively, and the difference was not significant (p = 0.731). The 5-year DSS rates in group A and group B were 93 and 90%, respectively, and the difference was not significant (p = 0.583).Conclusions: Neck dissection can be safely avoided when the PET-CT scan reveals no neck lymph node involvement.

Elective neck dissection versus wait-and-see policy in cT1N0 buccal squamous cell carcinoma

BackgroundOur goal was to clarify the comparison between elective neck dissection (END) and the wait-and-see policy in neck management for cT1N0 buccal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).MethodsThis was a retrospective comparison of 175 prospectively enrolled patients with cT1N0 buccal SCC. The patients were divided into two groups based on the nonrandomized management of the neck: 125 patients received END, and 50 patients were exposed to the wait-and-see policy. The main study endpoints were locoregional control (LRC) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Patients were asked to complete the shoulder domain in the University of Washington quality of life questionnaire, version 4, 1 year postoperatively.ResultsTen of the patients undergoing END developed recurrence, and the 5-year LRC rate was 92%. Five patients undergoing the wait-and-see policy developed recurrence, and the 5-year LRC rate was 90%. The difference was not significant (p = 0.668). There were 6 deaths in patients undergoing END, and the 5-year DSS rate was 94%. There were 3 deaths in patients undergoing the wait-and-see policy, and the 5-year DSS rate was 94%; the difference was not significant (p = 0.777). The mean shoulder scores of patients undergoing END and the wait-and-see policy were 93.9 and 100, respectively, and the difference was not significant (p = 0.284).ConclusionElective neck dissection does not carry a survival benefit compared to the wait-and-see policy, and it is not suggested for patients with cT1N0 buccal SCC.

Resultados oncológicos del tratamiento de rescate en pacientes con carcinomas de hipofaringe

The aim of this study is to analyse the variables related to the feasibility of salvage surgery with radical intention in patients with a local recurrence of hypopharyngeal carcinoma, and to evaluate the oncological performance of this type of surgery. Retrospective study of 96 patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma with local tumour recurrence RESULT: Only 27 patients (28.1%) were considered for surgical salvage treatment. The variables related to feasibility of salvage surgery were non-surgical initial treatment of the tumour and a disease-free interval greater than 6 months. All 69 patients non-candidates for salvage surgery died as a result of tumour progression in a period of less than 2.5 years. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate for the patients treated with salvage surgery was 39.5%. The only variable significantly related to disease-specific survival was the status of the resection margins. Patients with extensive tumour recurrence (rT3-T4) or with simultaneous nodal involvement had a lower survival rate, but the differences did not reach statistical significance. Only 28% of the patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma with local recurrence of the tumour were eligible for salvage surgery with radical intention. The patients treated with salvage surgery had a 5 -year disease-specific survival of 39.5%.

Prognostic impact of resection margin involvement in surgically managed HPV-positive tonsil cancer.

To find out the role of resection margin involvement in surgically managed HPV-positive tonsil cancer. The study included 94 subjects with HPV-positive tonsil cancer undergoing surgical treatment. We evaluated the relationships between the resection margin status, clinicopathological factors, and oncological outcome. The rate of resection margin involvement was 22.3% (21/94) after ablative surgery. Margin involvement, lymphatic invasion, and extracapsular spread were associated with the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) rate in univariate analysis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed a significant association between the margin involvement and 5-year DFS rate (HR=4.602; 95% CI=1.202-17.620; p=0.026) and 5-year DSS rate (HR=12.826; 95% CI=1.399-117.593; p=0.024). The incidence of resection margin involvement was significantly higher in patients with larger tumors (35.19±15.07mm vs. 25.53±10.32mm, p=0.011) and more invasive tumors (17.84±7.90mm vs. 13.46±6.88mm, p=0.037). The cutoff value of tumor size and depth of invasion for resection margin involvement was 29.5mm (74% sensitivity and 63% specificity) and 14.5mm (74% sensitivity and 61% specificity), respectively. Resection margin involvement was significantly correlated with tumor size and the depth of invasion in HPV-positive tonsil cancer. Furthermore, resection margin involvement was associated with adverse outcomes.