Abdominal Lymph Node Metastasis Research Articles

371. MAPPING OF LYMPH NODE METASTASIS IN ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA AT ESOPHAGOGASTRIC JUNCTION: A RETROSPECTIVE SURGICAL STUDY COHORT

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the optional extent of lymph node dissection of the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) at the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) based on the incidence of metastasis in a retrospective single-center study. Patients with SCC involving and within 5 cm of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) who underwent McKeown esophagectomy without preoperative treatment were reviewed in a prospectively maintained database at a single institution from 2015 to 2021. Lymph nodes stations was based on the definitions from the Japan Esophageal Society, and lymph nodes were further classified according to the metastatic incidence rate, as follows: Category-1 (strongly recommended for dissection), rate of more than 10%; Category-2 (weakly recommended for dissection), rate of from 5% to 10%; and Category-3 (not recommended for dissection), rate of less than 5%. Sixty-one patients were identified. T stage was pT1 (n = 9), pT2 (n = 11), pT3 (n = 40), and pT4 (n = 1). For all patients, category-1 nodes were predominantly abdominal stations (1, 2, 3, 7) and lower mediastinal stations (110); category-2 nodes were upper-middle mediastinal stations (105,106recR,107,108); station 106recL was category-3 with a metastasis rate of 4.92%. More nodal metastases were observed in cases with upper-margin exceeding EGJ >3 cm, and station 106recL was upgraded to category-2. For pT1 SCC, category-1 was focused on station 111, with no nodal metastasis in upper-middle mediastinal. For pT2 and pT3 SCC, cervical, thoracic, and abdominal lymph node metastases were found. Radical total mediastinal lymph node dissection is as important as abdominal dissection for SCC at EGJ, but lymph node dissection around the left recurrent laryngeal nerve appears to be exempt in T1 patients.

Laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy and lymph node resection in adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction

The proportion of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) in gastric cancer is gradually increasing. Due to the unique anatomical structure and biological characteristics of the tumor at this site, AEG has a certain degree of complexity in many aspects of diagnosis and treatment, which brings difficulties to the operation method, the selection of the resection range, the lymph node dissection and the treatment decision-making. Therefore, AEG has always been the focus of academic debate. With the development of minimally invasive surgery in recent years, laparoscopic technology has been increasingly mature and widely used in the treatment of gastrointestinal tumors. Compared with distal gastric cancer, the minimally invasive treatment of AEG is in a lagging state, and there are also a series of problems that have not yet reached a consensus. This article reviews and summarizes the recent research progress in two aspects: proximal gastrectomy for AEG and lymph node dissection. Laparoscopic-assisted proximal gastrectomy is safe for early proximal gastric cancer and has a long-term survival outcome not inferior to total gastrectomy, but the surgical indications must be strictly selected. Abdominal lymph node metastasis of AEG is mainly in group 1, 2, 3, and 7, and mediastinal lymph node metastasis is closely related to the length of the infiltrated esophagus. The abdominal transhiatal (TH) approach can obtain a sufficient number of harvested lymph node, and has good safety and efficacy, which is the first-choice of surgical approach for early AEG. The results of the CLASS-10 clinical trial can provide a higher level of evidence for laparoscopic mediastinal lymph node dissection. Laparoscopic surgery for AEG should be carried out in experienced medical center based on clinical research.

A Rare Case of Primary Small Cell Carcinoma of Esophagus

Primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus is a rare, highly aggressive disease with a poor prognosis. A definitive diagnosis is made by histopathological study. As the disease is usually metastatic, palliative chemoradiotherapy is the usual treatment. We present a case of a 57-year-old female presenting with dysphagia. The patient underwent imaging studies showing the growth at the gastro-esophageal junction, with extensive abdominal lymph node metastasis and liver and lung metastasis. Biopsy was suggestive of small cell carcinoma of the esophagus. The patient underwent a feeding jejunostomy and was planned for chemoradiotherapy. Primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus is an infrequent entity. As the disease is usually diagnosed at a later stage, the prognosis is inferior and abysmal.

A review of the evolution of radiotherapy for cervical cancer in honor of the centennial of Peking Union Medical College Hospital

<p indent=0mm>Cervical cancer is a common gynecologic malignant tumor. Radiotherapy, as the main method of modern treatment for cervical cancer, can combat cancer comprehensively with the reasonable combination and coordination of internal and external radiation. External radiation can deliver beam over a large area, which can solve the problem of abdominal and pelvic lymph node metastasis. Internal beam (brachytherapy) can eliminate locally invasive tumors by point-to-point high-dose radiation, which has a good therapeutic effect on cervical cancer. Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) has used radiation to treat cancers since its establishment <sc>100 years</sc> ago. The radiotherapy department has conducted in-depth clinical research in the field of radiotherapy for cervical cancer and has established the PUMCH model of precise radiotherapy for cervical cancer. Taking the development of cervical cancer radiotherapy technology in PUMCH as an indication, this paper reviews the development process, technological innovation, and future prospects of cervical cancer radiotherapy technology.

Clinical impact of abdominal versus mediastinal metastases as a prognostic factor for poor outcomes following esophageal cancer surgery: a retrospective study

BackgroundSurgery is still the mainstay of radical treatment for resectable esophageal cancer (EC). It is apparent that the presence or spread of lymph node metastasis (LNM) is a powerful prognostic factor in patients with EC who are eligible for curative treatment. Although the importance and efficacy of lymph node dissection in radical esophagectomy have been reported, the clinical or prognostic relevance of specific metastatic patterns within the mediastinal cavity and abdomen remains unclear.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the association of postoperative survival with clinical mediastinal LNM (cMLNM) and abdominal LNM (cALNM) in 157 patients who underwent radical EC surgery at our hospital between May 2012 and March 2018.ResultsA significant difference in cause-specific survival (CSS) was observed between patients with and without cALNM (log-rank p = 0.000). A multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that cALNM and thoracic surgery (mediastinal lymphadenectomy via conventional open right thoracotomy or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery) independently predicted CSS (p = 0.0007 and 0.021, respectively). Moreover, a significant difference in systemic recurrence-free survival was observed between those with and without cALNM (log-rank p = 0.000). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that cALNM and sex independently predicted systemic recurrence-free survival (p = 0.000 and 0.015, respectively).ConclusioncALNM was an independent poor prognostic factor for CSS after EC surgery. It may also be an independent prognostic factor for postoperative systemic recurrence, which can shorten the CSS. For patients with cALNM-positive EC who have a high potential risk of systemic metastases, more extensive treatment besides the conventional perioperative systemic chemotherapy may be necessary.

Abdominal lymph node metastasis by lymphatic spread through the thoracic duct in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

BackgroundAbdominal lymph node metastasis (ALNM) is common in patients with metastatic non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, its mechanism of spread remains to be elucidated. We investigated whether thoracic duct has the role as a pathway for ALNM in NSCLC using clinical data.MethodsWe classified ALNM into subgroups by their location and evaluated its prevalence and association with clinical characteristics in 892 patients with metastatic NSCLC. The abdominal lymph nodes were classified into direct or indirect groups depending on whether they drain directly into the trunk (intestinal trunk or lumbar trunks) connected to the cisterna chyli.ResultsOne hundred‐five patients (11.8%) had ALNM. The paraaortic lymph node was most commonly involved, followed by the aortocaval, left gastric, paracaval, and celiac lymph nodes. After grouping the patients by location of ALNM, 56 patients (53.3%) with ALNM were in the “direct only” group, only seven patients (6.7%) were in the “indirect only” group, and 42 patients (40.0%) were in “both” groups. In patients whose intrathoracic lesions were limited to the right thorax, there was a significantly lower prevalence of ALNM (3.4% vs. 14.3%, p < 0.001). On multivariate logistic regression analysis of clinical variables, higher N category was associated with increased risk of ALNM.ConclusionsThis study suggests that the thoracic duct is one of the potential routes of lymphatic spread to the abdominal lymph nodes. Clinicians should assess for the presence of ALNM during staging work‐up and follow‐up for NSCLC patients with intrathoracic lesion in left thorax and with high N category.

Casuistics of primary metastatic ovarian cancer in pregnancy

Malignancies during pregnancy are usually treated similarly to the malignancies in non-pregnant patients. Results of controlled therapeutic trials are typically not available. However, registered studies associated with some of the most common malignancies exist. In case of ovarian cancer, due to its rarity – especially with the primary metastatic cases – only individual case reports are available. The article presents a case with par aortal abdominal, thoracic and cervical lymph node metastasis in a 33-years-old pregnant female. She was treated with primary systemic chemotherapy since early pregnancy. At 32 weeks of gestation, the patient gave birth to a girl (1460g) by caesarean section. Subsequently, the patient received 3 more cycles of chemotherapy with carboplatin/paclitaxel and bevacizumab for 30 months as well as letrozole maintenance therapy. Three years after the initial diagnosis, complete instrumental assessment showed unremarkable results without tumour recurrence.

Comparison of Local Recurrence Patterns of Postoperative Radiotherapy with Surgery Alone for Esophageal Carcinoma Patients

ABSTRACT Background: We analyzed local regional recurrence patterns of thoracic esophageal carcinoma after three-field lymph node dissection (3-FLD) with and without postoperative radiotherapy, and assessed the postoperative radiation value for local control. Methods: The study reviewed 239 local recurrences of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after 3-FLD from 2010 to 2018 in our hospital, retrospectively, and compared local regional recurrence patterns between surgery followed by radiotherapy (S+RT) and surgery alone (SA). Results: In 239 thoracic esophageal carcinomas that underwent curative surgery, the lymph node recurrence was the most common type of local recurrence for patients in both groups. The sequence of lymph node recurrence rate in both groups from highest to lowest was mediastinal, cervical, and abdominal. The recurrence rate of superior mediastinal lymph node in patients without radiotherapy was significantly higher than that in patients with radiotherapy (67.72% vs. 47.54%, x2 = 7.615, P = 0.006). The recurrence rate of abdominal lymph node in the upper TEC was significantly lower than that in the middle and lower TEC (x2 = 9.452, P = 0.009). The abdominal lymph node recurrence rate in patients with preoperative abdominal LNM was very significantly higher than that in patients without preoperative abdominal LNM (43.63% vs. 6.66%, P &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: The dangerous lymph node recurrence regions included superior, middle mediastinum, and neck. Postoperative radiotherapy shows great value for patients in reducing superior mediastinal lymph node recurrence rate. The lower segment of thoracic esophageal carcinoma and preoperative abdominal lymph node metastasis, especially para-aortic lymph node metastasis, may be risk factors for abdominal lymph node recurrence.

Esophagectomy With Three-Field Versus Two-Field Lymphadenectomy for Middle and Lower Thoracic Esophageal Cancer: Long-Term Outcomes of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

The optimal extent of lymphadenectomy during esophagectomy remains unclear. In this trial, we aim to clarify whether three-field (cervical-thoracic-abdominal) lymphadenectomy improved patient survival over two-field (thoracic-abdominal) lymphadenectomy for esophageal cancer. Between March 2013 and November 2016, a total of 400 patients with middle and lower thoracic esophageal cancer were included and randomly assigned to undergo esophagectomy with either three- or two-field lymphadenectomy at a 1:1 ratio. Analyses were done according to the intention-to-treat principle. The primary end point was overall survival (OS), calculated from the date of randomization to the date of death from any cause. Demographic characteristics were similar in the two arms. The median follow-up time was 55 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 52-58). OS (hazard ratio [HR]= 1.019, 95% CI: 0.727-1.428, p= 0.912) and the disease-free survival (DFS) (HR= 0.868, 95% CI: 0.636-1.184, p= 0.371) were comparable between the two arms. The cumulative 5-year OS was 63% in the three-field arm, as compared with 63% in the two-field arm; 5-year DFS was 59% and 53%, respectively. On the basis of whether the patients had mediastinal or abdominal lymph node metastasis or not, OS was also comparable between the two arms. In this cohort, only advanced tumor stage (pathologic TNM stages III-IV) was identified as the risk factor associated with reduced OS (HR= 3.330, 95% CI: 2.140-5.183, p<0.001). For patients with middle and lower thoracic esophageal cancer, there was no improvement in OS or DFS after esophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy over two-field lymphadenectomy.

Bevacizumab Plus FOLFOX-4 Combined With Deep Electro-Hyperthermia as First-line Therapy in Metastatic Colon Cancer: A Pilot Study.

Bevacizumab plus FOLFOX-4 regimen represents the first-line therapy in patients affected by metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Hyperthermia has been considered an effective ancillary treatment for cancer therapy through several anti-tumor mechanisms, sharing with Bevacizumab the inhibition of angiogenesis. Up to now, scientific literature offers very few clinical data on the combination of bevacizumab plus oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy with deep electro-hyperthermia (DEHY) for metastatic colon cancer (mCC) patients. Therefore, we aimed at evaluating the efficacy of this combination based on the possible interaction between the DEHY and bevacizumab anti-tumor mechanisms. We conducted a retrospective analysis on 40 patients affected by mCC treated with the combination of bevacizumab plus FOLFOX-4 (fluorouracil/folinic acid plus oxaliplatin) and DEHY (EHY2000), between January 2017 and May 2020. DEHY treatment was performed weekly, with capacitive electrodes at 80–110 W for 50 min, during and between subsequent bevacizumab administrations, on abdomen for liver or abdominal lymph nodes metastases and thorax for lung metastases. Treatment response assessment was performed according to the Response Evaluation Criteria for Solid Tumors (RECIST). The primary endpoints were disease control rate (DCR) and progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoint was overall survival (OS). DCR, counted as the percentage of patients who had the best response rating [complete response (CR), partial response (PR), or stable disease (SD)], was assessed at 90 days (timepoint-1) and at 180 days (timepoint-2). DCR was 95% and 89.5% at timepoint-1 and timepoint-2, respectively. The median PFS was 12.1 months, whereas the median OS was 21.4 months. No major toxicity related to DEHY was registered; overall, this combination regimen was safe. Our results suggest that the combined treatment of DEHY with bevacizumab plus FOLFOX-4 as first-line therapy in mCC is feasible and effective with a favorable disease control, prolonging PFS of 2.7 months with respect to standard treatment without DEHY for mCC patients. Further studies will be required to prove its merit and explore its potentiality, especially if compared to conventional treatment.

Verification of oncological local control for hand-assisted laparoscopic abdominal lymph node dissection in esophageal cancer surgery: a propensity score-matched analysis.

In esophageal cancer, long-term outcomes of minimally invasive surgery using endoscopic surgery are currently being verified. However, most trials have compared thoracic procedures; few studies have focused on the abdominal procedures, which are important for lymph node dissection in radical esophageal cancer surgery. Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) is a simple and minimally invasive procedure. Although HALS superiority in short-term outcomes has been reported, its oncological safety in esophageal cancer remains unclear. Therefore, we retrospectively evaluated oncological safety of HALS compared with that of conventional open laparotomy (OL) in radical surgery for thoracic and abdominal esophageal cancer. We retrospectively analyzed the postoperative survival in 142 patients who underwent radical esophageal cancer surgery at our hospital between May 2012 and May 2017, with and without propensity score matching (PSM) between groups. Before PSM, OL (n = 65) and HALS (n = 77) groups differed significantly in overall survival (OS) (3-year OS rate: 74.2% and 87.3%, respectively; log-rank p = 0.040). Additionally, clinical abdominal lymph node metastasis (cALNM) independently predicted OS (p = 0.031). After PSM, the OL and HALS groups did not differ significantly in OS (3-year OS rate: 80.5% and 89.8%, respectively; log-rank p = 0.716). There was no statistically significant difference in abdominal-specific recurrence-free survival between the OL and HALS group before and after PSM. HALS may be a well-accepted procedure for radical esophagectomy in esophageal cancer, with oncological safety, including local control specific to the abdomen, comparable to that of the conventional OL.

Pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells curatively resected after pembrolizumab therapy for lung metastases: a case report

BackgroundTherapy targeting programmed death-1 or programmed death-1 ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) has been developed for various solid malignant tumors, such as melanoma and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but this approach has little effect in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells (UCOGC) is a rare pancreatic malignancy having unique morphology and is considered a variant of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Although UCOGC has been reported to have better prognosis than conventional PDAC, the optimal treatment for UCOGC with distant metastases has not been determined.Case presentationA 66-year-old man was initially diagnosed with NSCLC with multiple intrapulmonary metastases and abdominal lymph node metastasis in the tail of the pancreas, and bronchial biopsy and diagnostic imaging were performed. Pathologic examination of the lung showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma cells expressing epithelial marker and PD-L1. Therefore, pembrolizumab monotherapy for NSCLC was given. The pulmonary lesions shrank markedly and were in complete remission after 8 months of anti-PD-1 therapy, though no therapeutic effect was observed in the pancreatic site. Distal pancreatectomy was then performed, and histopathological examination showed that the tumor was UCOGC originating from the pancreas. The histologic findings of the resected specimen mimicked those of the lung biopsy specimen, leading to the final assessment that the lung tumors were metastatic foci that migrated from the UCOGC, and only the metastatic lesions benefited from pembrolizumab therapy.ConclusionImmune checkpoint inhibitors have limited therapeutic effects on primary lesions of pancreatic cancer, but they may exert antitumor effects on pulmonary metastases of UCOGC.

Lymph Node Metastasis and Recurrences from Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Patients with Previous Gastrectomy.

Esophageal cancer patients sometimes have a history of previous gastrectomy. To determine whether we should resect or preserve the remnant stomach, we need to understand the frequency and sites of abdominal lymph node (LN) metastasis from esophageal cancer after gastrectomy. In 46 patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who had a history of previous gastrectomy due to gastric cancer (n = 20) or benign disease (n = 26), the frequency and sites of any LN metastasis including LN metastasis at surgery and LN recurrence were investigated. The factors associated with abdominal LN metastasis were also examined. The incidence of metastasis to cervical, mediastinal, and abdominal LNs at surgery was 10.8%, 30.4%, and 30.4%, respectively. The incidence of abdominal LN recurrence was 6.5%. Of 46 patients, 16 patients (34.8%) had any abdominal LN metastasis, including abdominal LN metastasis at surgery or abdominal LN recurrence. There was no significant difference in the incidence of any abdominal LN metastasis between the gastric cancer group and the benign disease group (25.0% vs. 42.3%, p = 0.222). Clinically, nodal status was identified as the only independent factor associated with the occurrence of any abdominal LN metastasis, although neither tumor location nor the reason for gastrectomy was. The present study showed that the incidence of abdominal LN metastasis from ESCC after gastrectomy was not necessarily low, regardless of the tumor location and the reason for previous gastrectomy. This result suggests that gastrectomy should not be omitted easily in ESCC patients after previous gastrectomy.

Clinical significance of lymphatic invasion in the esophageal region in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction.

The lymphatic flow around the esophagogastric junction is complicated. Therefore, it is unclear whether lymphatic invasion in the esophageal region (eLI) and in the gastric region (gLI) in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) equally affect the incidence of lymph node metastases (LNM), and consequently, survival. We retrospectively reviewed clinicopathological data of 175 patients with AEG between January 2008 and July 2017. Risk factors for LNM and impacts of eLI or gLI on survival outcomes were investigated. eLI was identified in 34% of the patients (59/175). By multivariate analysis, eLI was associated with an increased risk of both mediastinal LNM (odds ratio [OR] = 2.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.26-7.05) and abdominal LNM (OR = 5.44, 95% CI: 1.95-15.20). The 5-year overall survival for patients with eLI (53%) was significantly worse than for patients without eLI (76%) (hazard ratio = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.37-10.01). gLI was not selected in either of these analyses. Positive eLI was strongly associated with mediastinal and abdominal LNM and worse survival in patients with AEG compared with gLI. In the histopathological examination, it seems to make sense to assess eLI and gLI separately.

Image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy improves short-term survival for abdominal lymph node metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma.

Radiotherapy (RT) is an effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with lymph node metastasis (LNM), which is a rare clinical situation with a poor prognosis. We evaluated the responses and toxicities in HCC patients with abdominal LNM treated with either image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT) or non-IG-IMRT. Retrospective review of the records of HCC patients with regional LNM treated with IG-IMRT (n=43) or non-IG-IMRT (n=42). The tumor responses, local control rates (LCRs), overall survival (OS) rates, and toxicities were evaluated. The mean biological effective dose with α/β =10 Gy (BED10) delivered to IG-IMRT group was 67.23±8.48 vs. 63.43±5.01 Gy delivered to non-IG-IMRT group (P=0.008). OS in IG-IMRT group vs. non-IG-IMRT group was 15.3 vs. 9.7 months (P=0.098). The one-year survival of IG-IMRT group was superior (69% vs. 38.1% for non-IG-IMRT, P=0.006). Whereas two-year survival was not significantly different. Negative independent prognostic factors included ≥2 positive lymph nodes and previous treatment without surgery, while BED10 ≥65 Gy was a protective factor. Toxicities were mild for both groups, while IG-IMRT group showed less late hepatotoxicity. The therapeutic dose delivered by IG-IMRT is slightly higher than non-IG-IMRT which was more effective and showed superior short-term survival and local control in HCC patients with LNM.

Lymph Node Metastases Diagnosed by 18F-FDG-PET/CT in Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer Treated With Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy.

To evaluate whether factors related to the clinical staging of lymph node (LN) metastasis diagnosed by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) correspond to poor survival in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). A total of 69 patients with curative intent and no prior treatment for ESCC or simultaneous treatment for synchronous cancers were investigated. A maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) on the highest image pixel in the LN ≥2.5 was considered positive. Location of the involved LN and its impact on survival were analyzed. In the univariate analysis of location, metastasis of the abdominal site, regional abdominal LN, and left gastric LN station negatively affected overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Other adverse clinical factors influencing OS included T4, clinical stage IVA and body mass index <21.2. In terms of DFS, a further unfavorable factor was primary tumor SUVmax ≥10.4. Abdominal site LN metastasis affected both OS and DFS in multivariate analysis. LN metastasis diagnosed by PET/CT in abdominal sites was an independent predictor affecting both OS and DFS in ESCC patients who underwent curative CCRT.

Systemic Immune Inflammation Index, Lowest Total Lymphocyte Count and Hemoglobin Level Are Prognostic Factors in Patients with Postoperative Recurrence of Esophageal Carcinoma Treated with Salvage Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy

To analyze the effects of clinical features, chemoradiotherapy related factors, hematological different nutritional indexes, and inflammatory indexes on the survival of postoperative recurrence of esophageal carcinoma treated with salvage chemoradiotherapy, and to explore the predictive factors of treatment-related toxic and side effects. A total of 242 postoperative esophageal carcinoma patients with local/regional recurrence during January 2008 to December 2016 treated with chemoradiotherapy were analyzed. Recurrence included anastomotic recurrence and regional lymph node metastasis (supraclavicular, mediastinal, and abdominal lymph node metastasis involved). The clinical features (sex, age, tumor location, T stage, N stage, TNM stage, regional recurrence site, number of recurrence areas, postoperative recurrence time), chemoradiotherapy related factors (post-recurrence treatment, radiotherapy target area, radiotherapy dose, chemotherapy regimen, chemotherapy cycle), hematological inflammation related indicators, including the absolute monocyte count (AMC), neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte monocyte ratio (LMR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammation score (SIS), and hematological nutrition-related indicators, including total lymphocyte count (TLC), hemoglobin (HB), albumin (ALB), prognostic nutritional index (PNI)，body mass index (BMI) on survival, toxic and side effects were analyzed. The median survival time was 16.6 months, and the 1-, 2-, 3-and 5-year survival rates were 65.6%, 36.7%, 25.5% and 11.5%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that T stage, N stage, TNM stage, chemotherapy cycle, NLR level, PLR level, LMR level, SII level, HB level, PNI level before chemoradiotherapy, and the minimum level of TLC during chemoradiotherapy were the influencing factors of OS. Multivariate analysis showed that the minimum level of TLC during chemoradiotherapy, SII and HB level before chemoradiotherapy were independent influencing factors of OS (P=0.001; P=0.009; P=0.009, respectively). AMC level, HB level and TLC minimum level were the main factors affecting hematological toxicity. The incidence of grade 2 hematological toxicity in the high AMC group was similar to that in the low AMC group, and the incidence of the non-anemia group and the G0-2 group in the lowest TLC was even lower than that in the corresponding group. No factors affecting hematological toxicity and radiation pneumonia were found in hematology. The minimum level of TLC during chemoradiotherapy, the level of SII and HB before chemoradiotherapy were the independent prognostic factors for postoperative esophageal carcinoma patients treated with salvage chemoradiotherapy.

Current surgical treatment of esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma.

The incidence of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) adenocarcinoma has shown an upward trend over the past several decades worldwide. In this article, we review previous studies and aimed to provide an update on the factors related to the surgical treatment of EGJ adenocarcinoma. The Siewert classification has implications for lymph node spread and is the most commonly used classification. Different types of EGJ cancer have different incidences of mediastinal and abdominal lymph node metastases, and different surgical approaches have unique advantages and disadvantages. Minimally invasive surgeries have been increasingly applied in clinical practice and show comparable oncologic outcomes. Endoscopic resection may be a good therapy for early EGJ cancer. Additionally, there is still a great need for well-designed, large RCTs to forward our knowledge on the surgical treatment of EGJ cancer.

Does lymph node localization affect prostate-specific membrane antigen uptake?

To investigate the relationship between lymph node (LN) size and localization and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) uptake in patients with prostate cancer. Between February 2015 and February 2017, a total of 178 patients diagnosed with prostate adenocarcinoma by gallium-68 PSMA PET/computed tomography were evaluated. Seventy-eight patients with LN PSMA uptake were included in the study.The short-axis diameter and maximum and mean standardized uptake values (SUV) were measured from axial images of LNs with PSMA uptake. LN conglomerates were considered a single lesion. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence (group 1) or absence (group 2) of bone uptake in addition to the LN uptake; subgroups were constituted according to the short-axis diameter and PSMA-positive LN region for each group. LNs were classified according to their localization as pelvic, abdominal, or cervical/thoracic. In both groups, the SUV were significantly higher in LNs with short-axis diameters more than 8 mm than those with diameters up to 8 mm (P < 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively). Also, both groups showed a moderate correlation between the LN size and SUV.When the analysis was carried out according to the localization, but after excluding the LN conglomerates, the correlation between the pelvic and abdominal LNs was higher in the second group. The highest significant positive correlation between LN size and SUV was in patients with pelvic and abdominal LN metastases without bone involvement according to the gallium-68 PSMA PET/computed tomography images in our study.

Incidental abdominal lymph node metastases from a known breast cancer in resected specimen of invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: report of a case.

Breast cancer is known to metastasize to all organs of the body. However, abdominal lymph node metastases from breast cancer are extremely rare. We herein report a resected case of an invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in which abdominal lymph node metastases from breast cancer were diagnosed. A 54-year-old woman was pointed out to have a tumor in the pancreatic tail with dilatation of the distal pancreatic duct. She had undergone partial mastectomy for left breast cancer at the age of 51years and had undergone partial liver resection for liver metastasis in the segment 3/4 6months earlier. Computed tomography revealed a low-density tumor in the pancreatic tail with dilated distal main pancreatic duct. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exhibited a high-intensity tumor in the pancreatic tail in diffusion-weighted images. With a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy with lymph nodes dissection was performed. Lymph node metastases along the splenic artery were pathologically similar to PDAC. However, lymph node metastases along the left gastric artery, common hepatic artery, celiac axis, and superior mesenteric artery were pathologically similar to breast cancer. Immunohistochemistry staining of abdominal lymph nodes with GATA-3 was positive, which strongly suggested metastatic breast cancer. Although she received chemotherapy with S-1 for breast cancer and PDAC for 4months, MRI showed multiple liver metastases derived from breast cancer. Finally, she died 12months after operation.