Extent Of Lymph Node Dissection Research Articles

549. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS OF SELECTIVE RIGHT PARATRACHEAL LYMPH NODE DISSECTION IN PATIENTS WITH EARLY-STAGE ESOPHAGEAL CANCER: PROPENSITY-SCORE MATCHED ANAYLSIS

Abstract Background The optimal extent of lymph node dissection in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (Sqcc) still remains a topic of debate without specifying the lymph node stations. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of selective right paratracheal lymph node (RtPTLN) dissection in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC). Methods We included the patients who underwent curative surgery for clinical stage I esophageal SQCC (cT1N0) at our institution between January 2010 and December 2021. Patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy were excluded. A total of 1,484 patients underwent surgery for esophageal cancer at our institution during the study period. Among these, 658 patients (mean age 63.1±7.7 years, 46 [7.0%] women) were identified, categorized into RtPTLN+ (dissection performed, n = 88) and RtPTLN- (no dissection, n = 570) groups. The RtPTLN+/- groups were matched in a 1:3 ratio using propensity scores. Results Median follow-up was 48.8 (24.2–85.2, interquartile) months. Five-year overall survival (OS, RtPTLN+ vs. RtPTLN-, 75.8% vs. 79.0%, P = 0.38) and recurrence-free survival (RFS, 70.0% vs. 72.5%, P = 0.55) rates showed no significant differences. Propensity-score matching yielded 313 patients: RtPTLN+ (n = 83) and RtPTLN- (n = 230). OS and RFS rates did not significantly differ between RtPTLN+ and RtPTLN- groups (OS: 77.2% vs. 79.9%, P = 0.57; RFS: 72.1% vs. 74.7%, P = 0.79) after adjustment (Figure). Multivariate analysis confirmed that RtPTLN dissection was not a significant predictor for OS or RFS (Table). Conclusion In this propensity-score matched analysis, there was no significant difference in OS and RFS between patients with and without RtPTLN dissection. These findings discreetly suggest that the routine RtPTLN dissection may not be necessary, and selective dissection could be considered acceptable.

441. EXTENT AND BOUNDARIES OF LYMPH NODE STATIONS DURING MINIMALLY INVASIVE ESOPHAGECTOMY: A SURVEY AMONG DUTCH ESOPHAGEAL SURGEONS

Abstract Background The optimal extent of lymph node dissection (LND), and the anatomical boundaries per lymph node station (LNS) during minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for esophageal cancer remains a topic of debate. This study investigated the opinion of Dutch esophageal cancer surgeons on their routine LND extent and anatomical boundaries per LNS, during MIE. Methods In April 2023, an English web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted. Within all 15 Dutch hospitals performing MIE, two MIE surgeons were asked to participate. The routine LND extent (quantity, specific LNS) for distal esophageal adenocarcinoma, (dis)agreement with the TIGER definition, and anatomical boundaries for each LNS in six directions were inquired. Results Twenty-four Dutch MIE surgeons completed the survey (80% response rate). Consensus on the routine LND extent (85% or more of the participating surgeons) included the left and right paracardial, left gastric artery, celiac trunk, proximal splenic artery, common hepatic artery, subcarinal middle mediastinal paraoesophageal, lower mediastinal paraoesophageal, pulmonary ligament and upper mediastinal paraoesophageal LNSs. Other LNS were not widely considered routine. Although, certain anatomical boundaries were consistent among surgeons, the majority varied, even when agreeing on the TIGER definition. Conclusion Significant variations in surgical practice among Dutch esophageal surgeons, regarding their routine extent of LND and anatomical boundaries of LNSs during MIE were demonstrated. Variation may impact clinical outcomes, hampers uniform treatment strategies, and hinders comparison of performance assessments. This study highlights the need for an international follow-up study towards one uniform defined LND during MIE for esophageal cancer.

263. LEARNING CURVE ANALYSIS USING CUMULATIVE SUM TECHNIQUES FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED MINIMALLY INVASIVE ESOPHAGECTOMY

Abstract Introduction Robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) has improved the technical difficulty of the conventional minimally invasive esophagectomy, by more precisely operated forceps and stability of the surgical fields. Although it is widely accepted that RAMIE demands excellence in robotic surgery, it is unclear how many cases were needed to reach the proficiency. This study aimed to investigate the learnings curve of two surgeons, with respect to perioperative findings. Methods Patients who underwent RAMIE using a Da Vinci Xi Surgical System between November 2018 and February 2024 were included. Surgeon A introduced RAMIE and Surgeon B started the training of RAMIE after standardization. Both surgeons were certified by the Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery and qualified surgeon by the Japan Esophageal Society. A cumulative sum (CUSUM) analyses were performed for console time for thoracic procedure to generate the learning curves of each surgeon. The cases before the changepoint of the CUSUM curve was defined as phase I (learning phase), and after the changepoint as phase II (proficiency phase). The perioperative outcomes were compared between the phases. Results Surgeon A and B performed 63 and 33 cases, respectively. Surgeon B started RAMIE under guidance of Surgeon A, who had already experienced 39 cases at that time. CUSUM curve showed that Surgeon B required fewer cases to reach the phase II (proficiency phase) than Surgeon A (16 cases for Surgeon B vs. 27 cases for Surgeon A). There was no significant difference between the phase I and II in patient characteristics including age, sex, tumor location, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and clinical TNM stages and the extent of lymph node dissection. Total operation time significantly decreased from phase I to phase II: 796 min [730-824] vs. 708 min [627-764]; P<0.01 for Surgeon A, 806 min [751-853] vs. 686 min [635-707]; P<0.01 for Surgeon B. During Phase I, console time of Surgeon B was significantly longer than console time of Surgeon A (408 min [354-432] vs. 360 min [325-385], P<0.01). However, in Phase II, the difference in time attenuated (281 min [255-299] vs. 266 min [244-316], P=0.68). There was no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss or the incidence of postoperative complications including recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, anastomotic leakage and pneumonia. Conclusion It is suggested that training in standardized surgical procedures for RAMIE under the guidance of an experienced surgeon could accelerate the pace of learning.

563. CURRENT AND PROPOSED TREATMENT STRATEGIES FOR LOCALLY ADVANCED ESOPHAGEAL ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE ESOPHAGOGASTRIC JUNCTION

Abstract Background The optimal treatment strategy for locally advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) is still unclear, and no consensus exists whether to treat it as an esophageal cancer or as a gastric cancer, which would include adjuvant therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal lymph node dissection, considering lymph node metastases and to develop a strategy for treatment that includes adjuvant therapy to improve the survival rate. Methods The patients were selected from a retrospective study by the Department of Surgery, Institute of Gastroenterological Surgery, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, that was conducted from 1990 to 2019. We studied 88 cases of advanced AEG in patients who underwent surgery with lymph node dissection. We retrospectively investigated the patient characteristics, pathological findings, surgical procedures, optimum extent of lymph node dissection, location of metastatic lymph nodes, recurrence pattern, and survival curves. Results Positivity for H. pylori was 29.8%. Barrett esophagus was found in 33%. Barrett esophagus was low. The calculated index for each nodal station was in stations 1, 2, 3, 7, 11 and 110 for 3-year survival and in stations 1, 2, 3 and 7 for 5-year survival. The proportion with undifferentiated histological type was high. The surgical approach underwent lower esophagectomy + proximal gastrectomy. Double-tract reconstruction was performed in 45%. Adjuvant (postoperative) chemotherapy was given to 51% patients. Preoperative (neoadjuvant) chemoradiotherapy was 17%. The 5-year overall survival rates were 24%. Conclusion We found that the optimal lymph node resection consists of the inferior mediastinum (No. 110), the lesser curvature (Nos. 1, 3, 7), No. 2, and No 11. When esophageal involvement was > 40 mm, we performed esophagectomy including upper thoracic lymph nodes. We were not satisfied with the result of surgical treatment including lymph node dissection alone in advanced AEG. We will recommend nab-paclitaxel combined with radiotherapy for advanced AEG to improve the survival rate.

Does Radical Lymphadenectomy Improve Survival in Esophageal and Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer?

Background: Esophageal carcinoma is one of the deadliest cancer in gastrointestinal system with 5-years survival of only 24%. Lymphnode metastasis has been associated with worse outcome. But the extent of lymphnode dissection has been a debate among surgeons worldwide. This study aimed to compare the overall survival of patients undergoing radical and non-radical lymphadenectomy in a tertiary referral cancer hospital in Nepal. Methodology: This study included 634 patients of esophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancer who underwent surgical resection at our institution over a period of 2001- 2019. The patients were divided into 2 groups; radical lymphadenectomy (RLN) and non-radical lymphadenectomy (NRLN) groups. RLN group underwent two-field or three field lymphadenectomy for esophageal cancer and D2 or D2 + lower mediastinal lymphadenectomy for GEJ cancer. NRLN group underwent nodal sampling or D1 dissection. Results: RLN was performed in 85.9%. NRLN was done in 14.1%. Surgery alone was performed in 47.1% and multimodality approach in 52.9% cases. Median survival for RLN and NRLN groups was 34 and 15 months, respectively (p < .001). Conclusion: Improved median survival has been observed after radical lymphadenectomy for esophageal and GEJ cancer.

Rethinking the scope of lymphadenectomy after neoadjuvant immunotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer

Radical gastrectomy is the core of comprehensive treatment for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer,while reasonable and standardized lymphadenectomy is the key to radical gastrectomy.With the continuous development of treatment methods and therapeutic drugs for advanced gastric cancer, it is worth exploring whether the scope of lymphadenectomy needs to be changed. Neoadjuvant immunotherapy has brought a new breakthrough for locally advanced gastric cancer, increased pathological complete response rate, reduced clinical stage of tumors, and increased radical surgical resection rate, but it has not brought long-term benefits to patients. Lymph nodes play an important role in human anti-tumor immune response, and some basic studies suggest that preserving some normal lymph nodes may be more helpful to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy. Thus, in the era of immunotherapy, the extent of lymph node dissection for locally advanced gastric cancer needs to balance continuous drug benefits, patient quality of life, and survival benefits, awaiting further high-quality clinical research for determination. Questions such as how to differentiate between normal and metastatic lymph nodes, how to rationally preserve normal lymph nodes, and whether preserving partial lymph node function can lead to greater benefits for patients from immunotherapy warrant further exploration.

Can We Go beyond Pathology? The Prognostic Role of Risk Scoring Tools for Cancer-Specific Survival of Patients with Bladder Cancer Undergoing Radical Cystectomy.

Radical cystectomy (RC) remains a mainstay surgical treatment for non-metastatic muscle-invasive and BCG-unresponsive bladder cancer. Various perioperative scoring tools assess comorbidity burden, complication risks, and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) risk. We investigated the prognostic value of these scores in patients who underwent RC between 2015 and 2021. Cox proportional hazards were used in survival analyses. Risk models' accuracy was assessed with the concordance index (C-index) and area under the curve. Among 215 included RC patients, 63 (29.3%) died, including 53 (24.7%) cancer-specific deaths, with a median follow-up of 39 months. The AJCC system, COBRA score, and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) predicted CSM with low accuracy (C-index: 0.66, 0.65; 0.59, respectively). Multivariable Cox regression identified the AJCC system and CCI > 5 as significant CSM predictors. Additional factors included the extent of lymph node dissection, histology, smoking, presence of concomitant CIS, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and model accuracy was high (C-index: 0.80). The internal validation of the model with bootstrap samples revealed its slight optimism of 0.06. In conclusion, the accuracy of the AJCC staging system in the prediction of CSM is low and can be improved with the inclusion of other pathological data, CCI, smoking history and inflammatory indices.

Extent and Boundaries of Lymph Node Stations During Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy: A Survey Among Dutch Esophageal Surgeons

BackgroundThe optimal extent of lymph node dissection (LND) and the anatomic boundaries per lymph node station (LNS) during minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for esophageal cancer remain a topic of debate. This study investigated the opinion of Dutch esophageal cancer surgeons on their routine LND extent and anatomic boundaries per LNS during MIE.MethodsIn April 2023, an English web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted. In each of the 15 Dutch hospitals performing MIE, two MIE surgeons were asked to participate. The routine LND extent (quantity, specific LNS) for distal esophageal adenocarcinoma, (dis)agreement with the TIGER definition, and anatomic boundaries for each LNS in six directions were queried.ResultsThe survey was completed by 24 Dutch MIE surgeons (80% response rate). Consensus on the routine LND extent ( ≥ 85% of the participating surgeons) included the left and right paracardial, left gastric artery, celiac trunk, proximal splenic artery, common hepatic artery, subcarinal middle mediastinal paraoesophageal, lower mediastinal paraoesophageal, pulmonary ligament, and upper mediastinal paraoesophageal LNSs. Other LNSs were not widely considered routine. Although, certain anatomic boundaries were consistent among the surgeons, the majority varied, even when they agreed on the TIGER definition.ConclusionSignificant variations in surgical practice among Dutch esophageal surgeons regarding their routine extent of LND and anatomic boundaries of LNSs during MIE were demonstrated. Variation may have an impact on clinical outcomes, hampering uniform treatment strategies and hindering comparison of performance assessments. This study highlighted the need for an international follow-up study toward one uniform defined LND during MIE for esophageal cancer.

Comparison of peritoneal interposition flaps and sealants for prevention of lymphocele after robotic radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection: a systematic review, meta-analysis, Bayesian network meta-analysis, and meta-regression.

Lymphocele is one of the most common complications after radical prostatectomy. Multiple authors have proposed the use of vessel sealants or peritoneal interposition techniques as preventive interventions. This study aimed to aggregate and analyze the available literature on different interventions which seek to prevent lymphocele through a Bayesian Network. A systematic review was performed to identify prospective studies evaluating strategies for lymphocele prevention after robot assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy + pelvic lymph node dissection. Data was inputted into Review Manager 5.4 for pairwise meta-analysis. Data was then used to build a network in R Studio. These networks were used to model 200,000 Markov Chains via MonteCarlo sampling. The results are expressed as odds ratios (OR) with 95% credible intervals (CrI). Meta-regression was used to determine coefficient of change and adjust for pelvic lymph node dissection extent. Ten studies providing data from 2211 patients were included. 1097 patients received an intervention and 1114 patients served as controls. Interposition with fenestration had the lowest risk of developing a lymphocele (OR 0.14 [0.04, 0.50], p = 0.003). All interventions, except sealants or patches, had significant decreased odds of lymphocele rates. Meta-analysis of all the included studies showed a decreased risk of developing a lymphocele (OR 0.42 [0.33, 0.53], p < 0.00001) for the intervention group. Perivesical fixation and interposition with fenestration appear to be effective interventions for reducing the overall incidence of lymphocele.

Omitting Lymph Node Dissection for Small Ground-Glass Opacity–Dominant Tumors

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to determine the optimal extent of lymph node dissection required in patients with small (≤3 cm) radiologically ground-glass opacity–dominant, peripheral, non-small cell lung cancer tumors. MethodsThe study analyzed the clinicopathologic findings and surgical outcomes of 988 patients with radiologic, ground-glass opacity–dominant non-small cell lung cancer without lymph node involvement who underwent complete resection of the primary tumor between 2010 and 2020. Patients were followed up for 54.5 months (median). Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test were used in statistical analyses of the prognosis. ResultsMedian age, whole tumor size, solid tumor size, and maximum standardized uptake values were 68 years, 1.7 cm, 0.4 cm, and 0.9, respectively. Sixty percent of the cohort was female (n = 590). Wedge resection, segmentectomy, and lobectomy were performed in 206, 372, and 410 patients, respectively. A total of 982 of 988 (99%) tumors were adenocarcinomas. One patient had hilar lymph node involvement; however, no mediastinal lymph node metastasis or hilar or mediastinal lymph node recurrence was detected. The 5-year overall survival rate was 96.5% (95% CI, 94.8%-97.7%). Excellent survival outcomes were achieved regardless of procedure (wedge resection, 94.7% [95% CI, 89.1%-97.5%]; segmentectomy, 96.9% [95% CI, 93.7%-98.5%]; and lobectomy, 97.1% [95% CI, 94.4%-98.5%]). ConclusionsOmitting lymph node dissection may be acceptable with curative intent for small tumors with radiologic ground-glass opacity dominance. Appropriate surgical procedures such as wedge resection, segmentectomy, or lobectomy can provide satisfactory outcomes in patients with indolent tumors if surgical margins are secured.

Assessment of risk factors of lymph node metastasis and prognosis of Siewert II/III adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction: A retrospective study.

Adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) has a high incidence, and the extent of lymph node dissection (LND) and its impact on prognosis remain controversial. This study aimed to explore the risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) and prognosis in Siewert II/III AEG patients. A retrospective review of 239 Siewert II/III AEG patients surgically treated at Beijing Friendship Hospital from July 2013 to December 2022 was conducted. Preoperative staging was conducted via endoscopy, ultrasound gastroscopy, CT, and biopsy. Depending on the stage, patients received radical gastrectomy with LND and chemotherapy. Clinicopathological data were collected, and survival was monitored semiannually until November 2023. Utilizing logistic regression for data analysis and Cox regression for survival studies, multivariate analysis identified infiltration depth (OR = 0.038, 95% CI: 0.011-0.139, P < .001), tumor deposit (OR = 0.101, 95% CI: 0.011-0.904, P = .040), and intravascular cancer embolus (OR = 0.234, 95% CI: 0.108-0.507, P < .001) as independent predictors of LNM. Lymph nodes No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, and 11 were more prone to metastasis in the abdominal cavity. Notably, Siewert III AEG patients showed a higher metastatic rate in nodes No. 5 and No. 6 compared to Siewert II. Mediastinal LNM was predominantly found in nodes No. 110 and No. 111 for Siewert II AEG, with rates of 5.45% and 3.64%, respectively. A 3-year survival analysis underscored LNM as a significant prognostic factor (P = .001). Siewert II AEG patients should undergo removal of both celiac and mediastinal lymph nodes, specifically nodes No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 110, and 111. Dissection of nodes No. 5 and No. 6 is not indicated for these patients. In contrast, Siewert III AEG patients do not require mediastinal LND, but pyloric lymphadenectomy for nodes No. 5 and No. 6 is essential. The presence of LNM is associated with poorer long-term prognosis. Perioperative chemotherapy may offer a survival advantage for AEG patients.

Optimal extent of lymph node dissection for high-risk gastric cancer stratified by a national clinical database risk calculator.

For patients with gastric cancer, a well-balanced treatment that considers both oncological aspects and surgical risk is demanded. This study aimed to explore the optimal extent of lymph node dissection (LND) for patients with gastric cancer according to surgical risk, stratified by the risk calculator system produced by the Japan National Clinical Database (NCD). We retrospectively evaluated 187 patients who underwent radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Using the median predicted anastomotic leak rate obtained by the NCD risk calculator as the cutoff value, we classified 97 and 90 patients as having high and low risks, respectively. In low-risk patients, although limited LND reduced the postoperative intraabdominal infectious complications (IAIC), multivariate analysis revealed standard LND as an independent prognostic factor that improved Relapse-free survival (RFS). In high-risk patients, the rates of postoperative IAIC and RFS were similar between standard and limited LND. Pancreatic fistula was not observed in the limited dissection group. Limited LND might be the optimal treatment strategy for patients with gastric cancer with high surgical risk.

Increased resected lymph node stations improved survival of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and surgery have been recommended as the standard treatments for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In addition, nodal metastases decreased in frequency and changed in distribution after neoadjuvant therapy. This study aimed to examine the optimal strategy for lymph node dissection (LND) in patients with ESCC who underwent nCRT. The hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated using the Cox proportional hazard model. To determine the minimal number of LNDs (n-LNS) or least station of LNDs (e-LNS), the Chow test was used. In total, 333 patients were included. The estimated cut-off values for e-LNS and n-LNS were 9 and 15, respectively. A higher number of e-LNS was significantly associated with improved OS (HR: 0.90; 95% CI 0.84-0.97, P = 0.0075) and DFS (HR: 0.012; 95% CI: 0.84-0.98, P = 0.0074). The e-LNS was a significant prognostic factor in multivariate analyses. The local recurrence rate of 23.1% in high e-LNS is much lower than the results of low e-LNS (13.3%). Comparable morbidity was found in both the e-LNS and n-LND subgroups. This cohort study revealed an association between the extent of LND and overall survival, suggesting the therapeutic value of extended lymphadenectomy during esophagectomy. Therefore, more lymph node stations being sampled leads to higher survival rates among patients who receive nCRT, and standard lymphadenectomy of at least 9 stations is strongly recommended.

Safety of intraoperative tranexamic acid use on the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing robotic assisted radical cystectomy (RARC).

641 Background: Perioperative blood transfusion is associated with an increased risk of adverse events and tranexamic acid (TXA) use has been proposed to decrease the need for perioperative blood transfusion. Herein, we seek to investigate the impact of intraoperative TXA on perioperative risk of VTE in a subset of patients who underwent robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) for bladder cancer. Methods: We queried the prospectively maintained Mayo Clinic Radical Cystectomy registry and identified patients who underwent RARC between 2004-2021 and received TXA intraoperatively. In univariable and multivariable analyses, we investigated factors associated with bleeding and VTE within 30 days post-operatively. Results: Of 2862 patients, we identified 94 patients who received TXA (IV) intraoperatively (Group A) and were propensity score matched 1:1 for age, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, pT stage, pN stage, and preoperative hemoglobin with a group who did not receive TXA; 38 patients (Group B). In univariable and multivariable models, use of TXA has no statistically significant impact on patient’s risk of bleeding or VTE. In a univariable model, number of positive lymph nodes and extent of lymph node dissection were associated with increased risk of VTE (Table 1). Conclusions: In our study, use of TXA in patient’s undergoing RARC was safe and was not associated with increased risk of VTE. [Table: see text]

D3 Lymph Node Dissection Improves Survival Outcomes in Patients With cT2 Colorectal Non-well-differentiated Adenocarcinoma.

The extent of lymphadenectomy appropriate for patients with cT2 colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial. This study was conducted to compare the survival outcomes of patients with cT2 CRC after D3 or D2 lymph node dissection (LND). Qualifying subjects (N=590) had undergone radical colorectal resections for cT2 CRC and were grouped according to tumor histological type as either well-differentiated (WDA) or non-well-differentiated (nWDA) adenocarcinoma. Each group was further stratified into D3 or D2 LND according to the extent of lymph node dissection. Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to balance potential confounding factors, and identify independent prognostic risk factors using Cox regression analysis. Primary outcome measures were overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival, (CSS) and relapse-free survival rate (RFS). Prior to PSM, OS and CSS differed significantly (p=0.001 and p=0.021, respectively) for D3 and D2 LND subsets in the nWDA group. Estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for OS and CSS were 3 [95% confidence interval (CI)=1.3-6.8; p=0.0084] and 3.2 (95%CI=1-10; p=0.047), respectively, in the D3 LND subset. After matching, significant differences in OS (p=0.007) and CSS (p=0.012) were also observed, with corresponding estimated HRs of 4 (95%CI=1.2-14; p=0.028) and 16 (95%CI=1.2-220; p=0.034). In the WDA group, D2 and D3 LND procedures displayed similar favorable prognoses before and after matching. Postoperative complications emerged as independent risk factors for prognosis in the WDA group of patients with cT2 CRC. D3 LND improved survival outcomes in patients with non-well-differentiated cT2 CRC. In patients with well-differentiated cT2 adenocarcinoma, D3 LND was preferred to reduce perioperative complications.

Surgical and Perioperative Treatments for Esophagogastric Junction Cancer.

Esophagogastric junction cancer (EGJC) is a rare malignant disease that occurs in the gastroesophageal transition zone. In recent years, its incidence has been rapidly increasing not only in Western countries but also in East Asia, and it has been attracting the attention of both clinicians and researchers. EGJC has a worse prognosis than gastric cancer (GC) and is characterized by complex lymphatic drainage pathways in the mediastinal and abdominal regions. EGJC was previously treated in the same way as GC or esophageal cancer, but, in recent years, it has been treated as an independent malignant disease, and treatment focusing only on EGJC has been developed. A recent multicenter prospective study revealed the frequency of lymph node metastasis by station and established the optimal extent of lymph node dissection. In perioperative treatment, the combination of multi-drug chemotherapy, radiation therapy, molecular targeted therapy, and immunotherapy is expected to improve the prognosis. In this review, we summarize previous clinical trials and their important evidence on surgical and perioperative treatments for EGJC.

Evaluation of the efficacy and surgical-related safety of neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy in advanced resectable none small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has brought about a paradigm shift in the treatment landscape of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the promising long-term survival outcomes and optimization of pathological complete response (cPR) demonstrated by various studies such as Impower010 and Checkmate-816, the effectiveness of neoadjuvant immunotherapy in advanced resectable NSCLC remains a subject of debate. Although previous research has explored the connection between the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy and surgical-related safety, limited studies have specifically investigated the surgical-related safety of neoadjuvant immunotherapy. Therefore, our study aims to assess the efficacy and surgical-related safety of neoadjuvant immunotherapy in advanced resectable non-small cell lung cancer. We conducted a retrospective study on a cohort of 93 patients with stage IIIA-IIIC NSCLC who underwent neoadjuvant therapy and surgical resection. Among them, 53 patients received neoadjuvant immunotherapy, 18 patients underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy while the remaining 22 underwent neoadjuvant targeted therapy. The patients were separated into further groups according to their pathological type. Data analyses were performed using Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test. All patients were categorized into six distinct groups. Notably, the neoadjuvant immunotherapy squamous carcinoma group exhibited a favorable edge over the neoadjuvant targeted squamous carcinoma group concerning the duration of drainage tube indwelling and the extent of lymph node dissection. Furthermore, the neoadjuvant immunotherapy adenocarcinoma group outperformed neoadjuvant targeted therapy adenocarcinoma counterpart in terms of achieving complete pathological response (cPR). Simultaneously, the neoadjuvant immunotherapy adenocarcinoma group surpassed the neoadjuvant chemotherapy adenocarcinoma group in the incidence of hydrothorax. Nevertheless, no statistically significant disparities were noted between the neoadjuvant immunotherapy squamous carcinoma group and the neoadjuvant chemotherapy carcinoma group. Regarding surgical outcomes, neoadjuvant immunotherapy conferred notable advantages compared to conventional neoadjuvant chemotherapy and neoadjuvant targeted therapy for patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. In the case of squamous carcinoma, neoadjuvant immunotherapy exhibited superiority over neoadjuvant targeted therapy, although additional evidence is required to conclusively establish its precedence over neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Optimal range of lymph node dissection in patients with unilateral papillary thyroid carcinoma with lateral cervical lymph node metastasis.

Whether patients with unilateral papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with lateral cervical lymph node metastasis (LLNM) require prophylactic central regional lymph node dissection (CLND) remains unclear. Herein, we investigated the independent risk factors associated with contralateral central lymph node metastasis (cCLNM) in unilateral PTC with LLNM and analyzed the optimal extent of lymph node dissection by comparing the 5-year recurrence-free survival rates. We retrospectively analyzed 695 patients with unilateral papillary thyroid carcinoma and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis. Factors including sex, age, multifocal, location of primary tumor, tumor diameter, capsule invasion, thyroid nodular goiter, Hashimoto thyroiditis, ipsilateral central lymph node metastasis(iCLNM), and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to explore the independent risk factors of cCLNM. Propensity scores were matched to compare the 5-year recurrence-free survival rates in patients divided by different lymph node metastases and dissections. Of all patients who underwent bilateral (b)CLND, 52% (149/286) had cCLNM. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed on 286 patients who underwent bCLND, for which a tumor diameter of 20.5 mm and number of LLNM of 3.5 were used as the thresholds for predicting cCLNM. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates in the cCLN-negative and cCLN-positive groups were 98.6% and 91.2%, with statistically significant differences (P=0.034). The 5-year RFS rates showed no significant difference between the ipsilateral (i)CLND and bCLND groups (P=0.235). Multifactorial regression analysis showed that tumor diameter >2 cm, presence of iCLNM, and number of LLNM >3 were independent risk factors of cCLNM.But male sex, young age (<45 years), multifocality, location of primary tumor, capsule invasion, thyroid nodular goiter, and Hashimoto thyroiditis were not associated with cCLNM. Not all unilateral PTC with LLNM require prophylactic cCLND; however, prophylactic cCLND is necessary in cases which display high-risk factors for cCLNM, including primary diameter >2 cm, iCLNM, and number of LLNM >3.

Comparison of indocyanine green-near-infrared fluorescence guided and traditional mediastinal lymphadenectomy during radical esophagectomy: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe extent of lymph node dissection during radical esophagectomy remains a controversial topic. Thus, this study mainly aimed to explore the location of sentinel lymph nodes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and the application value of the indocyanine green–near-infrared fluorescence system in lymphadenectomy. MethodsThis randomized controlled clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04615806) included 42 participants without neoadjuvant therapy who were lymph node negative based on positron emission tomography/computed tomography findings. Traditional esophagectomy with indocyanine green–near-infrared fluorescence imaging was performed after injecting 0.5 mL indocyanine green (1.25 mg/mL) into the esophageal submucosa in the 4 peritumoral quadrants. The primary endpoint was to determine the location of the sentinel lymph node in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma based on postoperative pathologic reports. ResultsA total of 40 patients, with 20 in each group, were included in the final analysis. In the indocyanine green group, indocyanine green–near-infrared fluorescence imaging was successful in all subjects. Seven cases (cases 2, 3, 9, 11, 17, 18, and 20) in the indocyanine green group exhibited lymph node metastases, all of which were near-infrared positive. The detection rate, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity were 100% (20 of 20 cases), 8.7% (13/150), 100% (265/265), 100% (13/13), and 65.9% (265/402), respectively. All near-infrared–negative lymph nodes were nonmetastatic lymph nodes. In addition, the number of mediastinal lymph nodes resected in the indocyanine green group was significantly higher than in the non–indocyanine green group. ConclusionIndocyanine green–near-infrared might be an important and promising technique in predicting sentinel lymph nodes of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and could significantly improve the detection rate of lymph nodes of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Investigation of eligibility for adjuvant therapy from real-world data of patients with urothelial carcinoma undergoing radical cystectomy and radical nephroureterectomy.

Adjuvant nivolumab prolonged disease-free survival compared with placebo in patients at high risk of recurrence following radical cystectomy or radical nephroureterectomy in the CheckMate 274 trial. However, the ideal eligibility criteria for adjuvant therapy in real-world clinical practice remain controversial. We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 409 patients who underwent radical cystectomy (n=252) or radical nephroureterectomy (n=157) and validated the risk of recurrence based on the classification used in the CheckMate 274 trial. We also investigated the impact of perioperative chemotherapy, lymph node dissection and pathological factors on prognosis. The median follow-up time was 37.5 and 32.1months in bladder cancer and upper tract urothelial carcinoma, respectively. Among the high-risk patients based on CheckMate 274 trial, disease-free survival was considerably shorter for bladder cancer and upper tract urothelial carcinoma patients than for low-risk patients (hazard ratios: 4.132 and 7.101, respectively). The prevalence of adjuvant chemotherapy in high-risk patients was low (24 and 38% for bladder cancer and upper tract urothelial carcinoma, respectively). The extent of lymph node dissection in bladder cancer and presence of lymph node dissection in upper tract urothelial carcinoma did not affect prognosis. Cox proportional multivariate analysis revealed CheckMate 274-high-risk as a poor prognostic factor in bladder cancer and upper tract urothelial carcinoma. This study validated the risk classification for recurrence following radical cystectomy and radical nephroureterectomy using the CheckMate 274 criteria in real-world practice. Further research would help assess the degree of benefit obtained from adjuvant nivolumab.