Lymph Nodes In Esophageal Cancer Research Articles

Deep Learning-Based CT Imaging in Perioperative Period and Nursing of Esophageal Carcinoma Patients

The study focused on the performance of Convolutional Neural Network- (CNN-) based lymph node recognition model as well as the effects of different rehabilitation nursing methods on patients with esophageal cancer. Specifically, the activation function and loss function were optimized by CNN, to establish a U-Net lymph node recognition model. It was compared with Mean Shift and Fuzzy C-means (FCM) algorithm for the loss value, the mean pixel accuracy (mPA), and intersection over union (IOU). 158 patients with esophageal cancer undergoing radical resection were selected as research subjects. With pathological diagnosis results as the gold standard, the role of CT imaging was evaluated in the diagnosis of esophageal cancer lymph nodes. All subjects were divided into control group (routine nursing) and intervention group (routine nursing + rehabilitation nursing) according to different nursing methods, with 79 cases in each. The two groups were compared in terms of the time in bed, hospital stay, indwelling chest tube time, and VAS scores. It was found that the loss value of the U-Net model was close to 0 when it was stable, and its IOU value and mPA value were significantly higher than those of the Mean Shift and FCM algorithms. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the U-Net model were 84.37%, 80.74%, 88.65%, 85.02%, and 87.16%, respectively. When it came to lymph node metastasis number of 1-2, there were notable differences between CT results and postoperative pathology results, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05 ). As for their identifying lymph node metastasis area, there was no statistically significant difference ( P > 0.05 ). The intervention group exhibited lower postoperative VAS score, shorter time in bed, and shorter hospital stay and indwelling chest tube time versus the control group ( P < 0.01 ). It suggested that the U-Net model optimized by CNN has high diagnostic efficiency for lymph nodes, and the rehabilitation nursing intervention significantly mitigates postoperative pain and accelerates postoperative recovery.

Controlled mechanical ventilation to detect regional lymph node metastases in esophageal cancer using USPIO-enhanced MRI; comparison of image quality

BackgroundArtifacts caused by respiratory motion or ventilation-induced chest movements are a major problem for thoracic MRI, as they can obscure important anatomical structures such as lymph node metastases. We compared image quality of routine breathhold with intermittent apnea during controlled mechanical ventilation of patients under general anesthesia as the ideal situation without respiratory motion in the detection and characterization of regional lymph nodes in esophageal cancer. MethodsIn this prospective study, 10 patients treated for esophageal cancer underwent ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) enhanced MRI scans. Before neoadjuvant therapy, MRI scans were acquired with a routine breathhold technique. After neoadjuvant therapy, patients were scanned under general anesthesia immediately prior to surgery with controlled mechanical ventilation. The image quality was compared using a Likert scale questionnaire based on visibility of anatomical structures and image artifacts. ResultsMRI with controlled mechanical ventilation and prolonged controlled apnea of 4 min was safe and feasible. All cardio-respiratory monitoring parameters remained stable during the apnea phases. Mediastinal and upper abdominal lymph nodes down to 2 mm in size could be visualized with all sequences. All image quality criteria, including visibility of thoracic structures and regional lymph nodes were scored higher using the controlled ventilation sequences compared to the routine breathhold phase. ConclusionUSPIO-enhanced MRI with controlled mechanical ventilation is superior to routine breathhold MRI in visualizing lymph nodes, which warrants new motion reduction techniques to use MRI for the detection of lymph node metastases in patients with esophageal cancer.

Adequate Lymphadenectomy as a Quality Measure in Esophageal Cancer: Is there an Association with Treatment Approach?

BackgroundThe national comprehensive cancer network defines adequate lymphadenectomy as evaluation of ≥ 15 lymph nodes in esophageal cancer. However, varying thresholds have been suggested following neoadjuvant therapy.ObjectivesOur objectives were to (1) explore trends in adequate lymphadenectomy rates over time; (2) evaluate unadjusted lymphadenectomy yield by treatment characteristics; and (3) identify independent factors associated with adequate lymphadenectomy.MethodsThe National Cancer Data Base was used to identify patients who underwent esophagectomy for cancer from 2004 to 2015. Adequate lymphadenectomy trends over time were evaluated using the Cochrane–Armitage test, and lymph node yield by treatment approach was compared using the Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Associations with treatment factors were assessed by multivariable logistic regression.ResultsAmong 24,413 patients, 9919 (40.6%) had adequate lymphadenectomy. Meeting the nodal threshold increased over time (52.6% in 2015 vs. 26.0% in 2004; p < 0.01). Lymph node yield did not differ based on neoadjuvant therapy (median 12 [interquartile range 7–19] with and without neoadjuvant therapy; p = 0.44). Adequate lymphadenectomy was not associated with neoadjuvant therapy (40.5% vs. 40.8%, odds ratio [OR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.82–1.07), but was associated with surgical approach (52.7% of laparoscopic cases, OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.06–1.56; 61.2% of robotic cases, OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.34–2.19, vs. 43.5% of open cases), and increasing annual esophagectomy volume (55.6% in the fourth quartile vs. 32.6% in the first quartile; OR 3.57, 95% CI 2.35–5.43).ConclusionsDespite increases over time, only 50% of patients undergo adequate lymphadenectomy during esophageal cancer resection. Adequate lymphadenectomy was not associated with neoadjuvant therapy. Focusing on surgical approach and esophagectomy volume may further improve adequate lymphadenectomy rates.

Combined CT texture analysis and nodal axial ratio for detection of nodal metastasis in esophageal cancer.

To assess the accuracy of a combination of CT texture analysis (CTTA) and nodal axial ratio to detect metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The contrast-enhanced chest CT images of 78 LNs (40 metastasis, 38 benign) from 38 patients with ESCC were retrospectively analyzed. Nodal axial ratios (short-axis/long-axis diameter) were calculated. CCTA parameters (kurtosis, entropy, skewness) were extracted using commercial software (TexRAD) with fine, medium, and coarse spatial filters. Combinations of significant texture features and nodal axial ratios were entered as predictors in logistic regression models to differentiate metastatic from benign LNs, and the performance of the logistic regression models was analyzed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). The mean axial ratio of metastatic LNs was significantly higher than that of benign LNs (0.81 ± 0.2 vs 0.71 ± 0.1, p = 0.005; sensitivity 82.5%, specificity 47.4%); namely, significantly more round than benign. The mean values of the entropy (all filters) and kurtosis (fine and medium) of metastatic LNs were significantly higher than those of benign LNs (all, p < 0.05). Medium entropy showed the best performance in the AUROC analysis with 0.802 (p < 0.001; sensitivity 85.0%, specificity 63.2%). A binary logistic regression analysis combining the nodal axial ratio, fine entropy, and fine kurtosis identified metastatic LNs with 87.5% sensitivity and 65.8% specificity (AUROC = 0.855, p < 0.001). The combination of CTTA features and the axial ratio of LNs has the potential to differentiate metastatic from benign LNs and improves the sensitivity for detection of LN metastases in ESCC. The combination of CTTA and nodal axial ratio has improved CT sensitivity (up to 87.5%) for the diagnosis of metastatic LNs in esophageal cancer.

The Significance of Negative Lymph Nodes in Esophageal Cancer After Curative Resection: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

ObjectiveThe impact of negative lymph nodes (NLNs) count on prognosis in esophageal cancer (EC) was analyzed using two institutions surgical database.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study of 768 EC patients treated by surgical resection between January 2010 and December 2012. The effects of the NLNs count on prognosis was analyzed. Cox regression model was conducted to determine the significant prognostic elements.ResultsThe number of NLNs was studied as a categorical variable based on the quartiles (Q1: ≤15, Q2: 16–21, Q3: 22–30, Q4: ≥31). And a better overall survival (OS) was observed with increasing number of NLNs (HR= 0.762; 95% CI, 0.596–0.974 for Q2, HR= 0.666; 95% CI, 0.516–0.860 for Q3 and HR= 0.588; 95% CI, 0.450–0.768 for Q4) (all P<0.05). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the NLNs count was an independent prognostic factor. Besides, for patients in T2 or T3 stage, a high number of NLNs was found to be significantly associated with a favorable OS (log rank P<0.001).ConclusionA higher number of NLNs is independently related to the better OS in EC patients after surgical resection.

Mesenteric excision of upper esophagus: a concept for rational anatomical lymphadenectomy of the recurrent laryngeal nodes in thoracoscopic esophagectomy.

The recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) lymph nodes are among the most frequently involved lymph nodes in esophageal cancer. Surgical removal of these lymph nodes is considered beneficial for postoperative prognosis, especially in patients with squamous cell carcinoma. Unfortunately, the precise surgical anatomy of the upper mediastinum is not well understood and no distinct high-resolution images are currently available. In this article, we provide a simple intuitive concept of upper mediastinal surgical anatomy that could facilitate rational anatomical lymphadenectomy of the RLN lymph nodes. The essential concept of this mesenteric excision is to mobilize mesoesophagus including RLN in an en bloc fashion and to save RLN laterally by incising visceral sheath. This is applicable identically to both right and left upper mediastinum. Between January 2009 and December 2017, thoracoscopic esophagectomy with upper mediastinal lymphadenectomy for primary esophageal cancer was performed in 189 patients. Median thoracoscopic procedure time was 297 (range 205-568) min and median intraoperative blood loss was 70ml (range unmeasurable up to 2545ml). Median number of harvested upper mediastinal lymph nodes was 12. Postoperative complication of Clavien-Dindo classification grade III or higher events was observed in 14% of patients. RLN palsy of grade II or higher occurred in 20 patients (11%). The mesoesophagus in the upper mediastinum is an anatomical unit surrounded by fibrous connective tissue containing the esophagus, trachea, tracheoesophageal vessels, lymphatic tissue, and RLNs. Thus, mesenteric excision of esophagus is defined to resect this area by sparing trachea and RLNs for rational anatomical lymphadenectomy. We believe that this concept makes upper mediastinal lymphadenectomy safer and more appropriate.

The Role and Prognostic Significance of Aortopulmonary, Anterior Mediastinal, and Tracheobronchial Lymph Nodes in Esophageal Cancer: Update of the Eighth-Edition TNM Staging System (2018).

The eighth edition of TNM staging for esophageal cancer will be implemented at 2018. The stations 5, 6, and 10 lymph nodes (LNs) have been omitted from the regional lymph node map for the new TNM staging. However, the role and prognostic significance of these LN stations were not clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the revised nodal staging is appropriate and to verify the role, prognostic significance, and therapeutic value of these LNs in esophageal cancer. The records of patients who underwent esophagectomy for cancer in our department between 2007 and 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The rate of metastases was calculated for stations 5, 6, and 10 LNs. LN metastasis and patient survival were analyzed. A total of 1637 patients were included. The calculated rate of metastasis to stations 5, 6, and 10 was 3.2%, 2.3%, and 4.9%, respectively. No difference was found in the N stage determined by the seventh and eighth edition N staging systems. The status of station 5, 6, or 10 was not associated with long-term survival according to Cox proportional hazards model analysis. Metastasis to stations 5, 6, or 10 LNs was infrequent. Omitting of stations 5, 6, and 10 LNs in the eighth edition TNM staging did not influence the accuracy and survival-predicting efficacy. The therapeutic value of lymphadenectomy of stations 5, 6, and 10 was limited. The status of stations 5, 6, and 10 LNs was not associated with long-term survival.

Esophageal cancer lymph node metastasis-associated gene signature optimizes overall survival prediction of esophageal cancer.

Esophageal cancer (EC) is characteristic of early regional lymph node metastasis (LNM) and most patients with metastasis have a poor prognosis. However, the current diagnostic techniques do not enable precise differentiation of EC LNM, prognostic stratification, and individual survival estimation. To identify potential molecular biomarkers for EC patients with LNM, we explored differently expressed genes in The Cancer Genome Atlas database between 77 non-LNM cases and 88 LNM cases by limma package R. Then, according to univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, we constructed an 8-messenger RNA (mRNA) prognostic signature model, which could predict the outcome in a more exact way. The area under the curve of the risk score is significantly higher than other clinical information, indicating that the 8-mRNA-based risk score is a good indicator for prognosis. Then, combined with other individual risk factors, such as age, sex, T stage, M stage, etc, we could precisely calculate the individual 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates. The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis indicate that the risk model is mainly associated with cancer-related pathways, such as cell division, cellular meiosis, and cell cycle regulation. In summary, the 8-mRNA-based risk score model that we developed successfully predicts the survival of EC. It is independent of clinical information and performing better than other clinical information for prognosis.

RA10.06: THE ROLE AND PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF AORTOPULMONARY, ANTERIOR MEDIASTINAL, AND TRACHEOBRONCHIAL LYMPH NODES IN ESOPHAGEAL CANCER: UPDATE OF THE 2018 TNM STAGING SYSTEM

Abstract Background The eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging for esophageal cancer will be implemented at the beginning of 2018. The nodal staging process in the eighth edition remains unchanged from that in the seventh edition in that it was based on the number of lymph nodes (LNs) involved, but the regional lymph node map has been revised. The aortopulmonary (station 5), anterior mediastinal (station 6), and tracheobronchial (station 10) nodes have been omitted from the regional lymph node map for the new TNM staging. However, the role and prognostic significance of these LN stations are not clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the revised nodal staging used in the eighth edition staging system is appropriate, and to verify the role, prognostic significance, and therapeutic value of these LNs in esophageal cancer. Methods The records of patients who underwent esophagectomy for cancer in our department between January 2007 and January 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The rate of metastases and the index of estimated benefit from lymph node dissection (IEBLD) were calculated for stations 5, 6, and 10 LNs. LN metastasis and patient survival were analyzed and the efficacy of the eighth edition TNM staging system was verified. Results A total of 1637 patients (1350 men, 287 women) were included. The frequencies of dissection of stations 5, 6, and 10 LNs were 34.3% (562/1637), 15.9% (260/1637), and 50.9% (833/1637), respectively. The calculated rate of metastasis to these stations was 3.2% (18/562), 2.3% (6/260), and 4.9% (41/833), respectively. No difference was found in the N stage determined by the seventh and eighth edition N staging systems. The survival curves differed significantly between N stages calculated using the eighth edition TNM system (P &lt; 0.001). The IEBLD values of stations 5, 6, and 10 LNs were 0.57, 0, and 0.97, respectively. Station 5 or 10 LN(+ ) patients had worse median survival time and 5-year overall survival rate compared with LN(–) patients (P &lt; 0.01). Univariate analysis showed that differentiation, T stage, N stage (both seventh and eighth edition calculations), and metastasis to stations 5 and 10 LNs were associated with long-term survival. Conclusion Metastasis to stations 5, 6, or 10 LNs was infrequent. If stations 5, 6, and 10 LNs were omitted in the eighth edition calculation to determine the N stage based on the number of metastatic LNs, this did not influence the accuracy and survival-predicting efficacy of the eighth edition TNM staging. The therapeutic value of lymphadenectomy of stations 5, 6, and 10 was limited. Metastasis to stations 5, 6, and 10 LNs indicated more advanced N stage, which was associated with poor survival. However, no survival difference was found between station 6 LN(+ ) and LN(–) subgroups, possibly because of the limited numbers of cases. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

PS02.131: PATTERN OF LYMPHATIC METASTASIS OF CERVICAL ESOPHAGEAL CANCER

Abstract Background Cervical esophageal cancer were rarely surgeryed Analysis and discussion of lymph node metastasis of cervical esophageal cancer Methods From July 2008 to June 2017, 10 cases of successful esophagectomy of cervical esophageal cance in our hospital underwent radical resection. Surgical dissection range was the neck and the upper mediastinum. A total of 231 lymph nodes were dissected. The lymph nodes were summarized and grouped in different ways, and analyzed the law of lymph node metastasis. Results 7 cases of esophageal cancer, lymph node metastasis occurred, and the rate of lymph node metastasis was 70% (7/10), of which 1 case was T1b stage. 17 lymph node metastases, the degree of lymph node metastasis was 7.36% (17/231), including 4 esophageal lymph nodes, 12 cervical lymph nodes and 1 upper right mediastinal lymph node. Conclusion Cervical esophageal cancer lymph node metastasis can spread occur early metastasis, and the metastasis site were mainly in neck.. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

A study about different findings of PET-CT between neoadjuvant and non-neoadjuvant therapy: SUVmax is not a reliable predictor of lymphatic involvement after neoadjuvant therapy for esophageal cancer.

No definitive findings or established guidelines have been published for the evaluation of esophageal tumors (tumor) and regional lymph nodes (LN) using positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) in patients with esophageal cancer. In addition, it remains unclear whether PET-CT findings vary between neoadjuvant (NT) and non-neoadjuvant (non-NT) therapy cases. Therefore, preoperative evaluation using PET-CT might provide unreliable information and influence the management plan for esophageal cancer. The purpose of the present study is to clarify the different findings of PET-CT between NT and non-NT in surgical esophageal cancer cases and to predict LN metastasis. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 192 consecutive cases that met this study's inclusion criteria from January 2009 to December 2014. All patients underwent curative and complete esophagectomy for intra-thoracic esophageal cancer at the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery in a single tertiary Korean hospital. We compiled and analyzed maximum standard uptake values (SUVmax) of tumor and LNs with other clinical information (chronic lung disease, history of previous other primary cancer, sex, pathological findings, NT, and other clinical data). (I) In NT, a positive correlation between T stage and SUVmax was found (tumor SUVmax P<0.001, LN SUVmax P=0.010); however, no relationship between N stage and SUVmax was found. In non-NT, a positive correlation between pathological stage (T and N stage) and SUVmax was found (T stage, tumor SUVmax P<0.001, LN SUVmax P=0.001; N stage, tumor SUVmax P=0.003, LN SUVmax P=0.021); (II) In NT, the low SUVmax group had higher disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) than the high SUVmax group (DFS, tumor SUVmax P<0.001, LN SUVmax P=0.142; OS, tumor SUVmax P<0.001, LN SUVmax P=0.002). In non-NT, the low SUVmax group also had higher DFS and OS than the high SUVmax group (DFS, tumor SUVmax P<0.001, LN SUVmax P=0.008; OS, tumor SUVmax P=0.029, LN SUVmax P=0.016). SUVmax values being equal, non-NT had significantly higher DFS and OS than NT (P=0.011, P=0.009, respectively), despite the absence of significant differences in pathological stage; (III) Tumor SUVmax had a positive correlation with LN SUVmax in both NT and non-NT (P=0.006, P<0.001, respectively); (IV) In NT, there were no diagnostic findings of LN metastases using SUVmax. However, in non-NT, significant cutoff values for diagnosis of LN metastases using both tumor and LN SUVmax were found (tumor SUVmax cutoff value 4.9, P=0.008; LN SUVmax cutoff value 2.5, P=0.045); (V) In NT, there was no significant difference in LN SUVmax between pathologically negative and positive LNs. However, in non-NT, the LN SUVmax of pathologically positive LNs was significantly higher than that of pathologically negative LNs (P=0.042); (VI) There were no significant differences in tumor and LN SUVmax according to various factors, including chronic lung disease (COPD, bronchiectasis), age, previous cancers, and sex, regardless of NT. This study showed that there were some different findings of PET-CT using SUVmax between NT and non-NT. These findings should be clarified for further evaluation and management, especially of surgery, which should not be withheld out of ignorance of these different PET-CT findings and should be considered carefully in conjunction with other conditions. In addition, further studies about the effects of NT on PET-CT findings are required to improve the utility of PET-CT to evaluate the LNs in esophageal cancer.

Safety and feasibility of near-infrared image-guided lymphatic mapping of regional lymph nodes in esophageal cancer

ObjectiveTo assess safety and feasibility of an intraoperative, minimally invasive near-infrared (NIR) image-guided approach to lymphatic mapping in patients with esophageal cancer. MethodsAlthough local lymph nodes (LNs) are removed with the esophageal specimen, no techniques are available to identify the regional LNs (separate from the esophagus) during esophagectomy. We hypothesize that NIR imaging can identify regional LNs with the potential to improve staging and guide the extent of lymphadenectomy. Nine of the 10 patients enrolled had resectable esophageal adenocarcinoma and underwent NIR mapping following peritumoral submucosal injection of indocyanine green (ICG) alone or premixed in human serum albumin (ICG:HSA) before resection. NIR imaging was performed in situ and ex vivo. ResultsIn 6 of the 10 patients, intraoperative NIR imaging demonstrated an NIR signal at all tumors and in 2 to 6 NIR+ regional LNs. NIR+ LNs were not identified in 4 patients: 1 patient with occult stage IV disease, for whom further imaging was not performed and thus was excluded from analysis, and 3 patients in whom ICG was used without HSA. Identification of local LNs on the esophagus was obscured by a peritumoral background. Importantly, the pathological status of NIR+ regional LNs reflected overall regional nodal status. ConclusionsNIR lymphatic mapping is safe and feasible in patients with esophageal cancer and can identify regional LNs when ICG:HSA is used. Although more work is needed to improve background signals and local LN identification, intraoperative detection of regional NIR+ LNs allows an in-depth histological analysis of LN basins not commonly scrutinized as part of the specimen and may improve the detection of occult nodal disease.

Assessment for diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in esophageal cancer using endoscopic ultrasound elastography.

BackgroundWe performed endoscopic ultrasound real-time tissue elastography to more accurately diagnose lymph node metastasis of esophageal cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of EUS elastography to distinguish benign from malignant lymph nodes in esophageal cancer patients.MethodsThe present study had two steps. As the first step (study 1), we developed diagnostic criteria for metastatic lymph nodes using elastography and verified the validity of the criteria. Three hundred and twenty-two lymph nodes from 35 patients treated by surgical resection were included in the study. As the second step (study 2), we preoperatively examined the lymph nodes of esophageal cancer patients with EUS elastography and compared its diagnostic performance with that of the conventional B-mode EUS images. A total of 115 lymph nodes from 31 patients were included.ResultsIn study 1, lymph nodes were considered malignant if 50 % or more of the node appeared blue, or if the peripheral part of the lesion was blue and the central part was red/yellow/green. The sensitivity and specificity of the elastography were 79.7 and 97.6 % with an accuracy of 93.8 %, which was significantly higher than the values for conventional B-mode imaging. In study 2, the sensitivity and specificity of the EUS elastography were 91.2 and 94.5 % with an accuracy of 93.9 %, which was also significantly higher than the values for conventional B-mode EUS imaging.ConclusionsThe present study demonstrated that EUS elastography is useful for diagnosing lymph node metastasis of esophageal cancer.

Clinical value of preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen detection in the prediction of esophageal cancer lymph node metastasis

Objective To investigate the clinical value of preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) detection in the prediction of esophageal cancer lymph node metastasis. Methods The clinical data of 111 patients with esophageal cancer who were admitted to the Chaoyang Hospital of Capital Medical University between December 2010 and January 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients received preoperative serum CEA examination and enhanced CT of the chest. The surgical procedures were selected according to the condition of patients, including radical resection of esophageal cancer via left thoracic approach, transabdominal right thoracic approach (open and laparoscopic surgeries), cervico-thoracic-abdominal triple incision (open and laparoscopic surgeries) and transabdominal incision. The international standard was used for tumor location and TNM stage of esophageal cancer. The count data and comparison of ordinal data in the univariate analysis were analyzed using the chi-square test, Fisher exact probability and rank-sum test, respectively. The multivariate analysis was done using the stepwise logistic regression. The ROC curve was used for evaluating diagnostic value of serum CEA examination and enhanced CT of the chest. All the 111 patients were divided into 4 groups according to the interquartile range results of the CEA examination, and the lymph node metastasis rates of 4 groups were compared by the chi-square test. Results All the 111 patients underwent successful radical resection of esophageal cancer after preoperative serum CEA detection and enhanced CT of the chest, including 40 via left thoracic approach, 56 via transabdominal right thoracic approach, 8 via cervico-thoracic-abdominal triple incision and 7 via transabdominal incision. There were 3 patients with upper thoracic esophageal cancer, 52 with middle thoracic esophageal cancer, 36 with lower thoracic esophageal cancer and 20 with cancer of gastro-esophageal junction. The postoperative pathological type included 84 squamous cell carcinomas, 23 adenocarcinomas and 4 other carcinomas. There were 44 patients with negative lymph node metastases and 67 with positive lymph node metastases. The positive rate of elevated serum CEA in the 111 patients was 36.04%(40/111). Tumor location, pathological type and N stage of tumor were clinical pathological factors affecting the positive rate of serum CEA of patients (Z=6.815, 6.608, 16.928, P 4.21 μg/L by the stratified analysis, respectively, with a significant difference among the 4 groups (χ2=16.026, P<0.05). The areas under the curve of CEA level and enhanced CT of the chest for lymph node metastasis were 0.687 (95% CI: 0.590-0.785) and 0.689 (95% CI: 0.591-0.788) by ROC curve, which were significantly different from the area under the guides (P<0.05). The areas under the curve of CEA level and enhanced CT of the chest for lymph node metastasis were 0.785 (95%CI: 0.697-0.873, P<0.05). Conclusions Serum CEA detection not only has certain predictive value for lymph node metastasis of esophageal cancer, but has a higher predictive value combined with enhanced CT of the chest. There is a risk of lymph node metastasis for patients with deep tumor invasion and elevated CEA level, and the range of lymph node dissection should be expanded. Key words: Esophageal neoplasms; Carcinoembryonic antigen; Lymph node metastasis

Invited Commentary

The number of involved lymph nodes in esophageal cancer predicts survival and forms the basis of the Seventh Edition International Cancer Control/American Joint Committee on Cancer (UICC/AJCC) staging system. A growing body of evidence suggests that even in patients with nodal metastases, the number of noninvolved lymph nodes (“negative lymph nodes”) are an important prognostic indicator [1Hsu P.K. Huang C.S. Wang B.Y. Wu Y.C. Chou T.Y. Hsu W.H. The prognostic value of the number of negative lymph nodes in esophageal cancer patients after transthoracic resection.Ann Thorac Surg. 2013; 96: 995-1001Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (42) Google Scholar, 2Baba Y. Watanabe M. Shigaki H. et al.Negative lymph-node count is associated with survival in patients with resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.Surgery. 2013; 153: 234-241Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (34) Google Scholar, 3Greenstein A.J. Litle V.R. Swanson S.J. Divino C.M. Packer S. Wisnivesky J.P. Effect of the number of lymph nodes sampled on postoperative survival of lymph node-negative esophageal cancer.Cancer. 2008; 112: 1239-1246Crossref PubMed Scopus (172) Google Scholar]. In this issue of Annals, Wu and colleagues [4Wu S.G. Li F.Y. Zhou J. et al.Prognostic value of different lymph node staging methods in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after esophagectomy.Ann Thorac Surg. 2015; 99: 284-291Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (17) Google Scholar] shed light on the prognostic value of these negative lymph nodes. In their analysis of 603 patients with squamous cell carcinoma who underwent esophagectomy alone, the authors find that patients with uninvolved lymph node counts 14 or greater have improved survival. Uninvolved lymph node counts along with the number of involved lymph nodes were found to provide better prognostic value compared to total lymph node counts or lymph node ratios of involved to total number of lymph nodes. The mechanism by which resecting a greater number of negative lymph node count confers a survival advantage is unknown. One postulated mechanism is that these nodes harbor micrometastatic disease that cannot be detected readily by standard H and E staining techniques. Therefore, the removal of these nodes may reduce the presence of residual disease thereby improving survival. Increased uninvolved nodal counts could also be an indicator of the adequacy of lymphadenectomy, resulting in appropriate pathologic staging and an accurate assessment of survival. Alternatively, as the authors and others have suggested, the presence of a high a number of nodes without disease may be a sign of a vibrant host immune response to the tumor leading to improved survival. These findings challenges us not only to determine the biologic mechanisms of the survival benefit seen, but also to determine the best method of categorizing involved and uninvolved lymph nodes after esophagectomy. Examining the number of involved and uninvolved nodes or total resected and involved nodes or their ratios are all ways of looking at the same phenomenon. This study along with other literature supporting the prognostic utility of uninvolved lymph node counts provide guidance in the design of future larger multiinstitutional studies to determine what the optimal method of evaluating lymph nodes after esophagectomy should be. Prognostic Value of Different Lymph Node Staging Methods in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma After EsophagectomyThe Annals of Thoracic SurgeryVol. 99Issue 1PreviewThis study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of number of involved lymph nodes, number of removed lymph nodes, ratio of involved to removed nodes (lymph node ratio), and number of negative lymph nodes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients after esophagectomy. Full-Text PDF

Research progress of lymph node metastasis in esophageal cancer

Lymph nodes （LN）are the main parts of the esophageal cancer metastasis,and the current status of LN is the important indicator of prognosis.LN metastasis appears in early stage of esophageal cancer.One side,LN metastasis easily appears in the regions near the tumor and some special areas.On the other side,LN metastasis has the characteristics of wide metastasis and skip metastasis.Therefore,the researches of the pattern of esophageal cancer lymph node metastasis can help to comform the scope of the esophageal cancer lymph node dissection and the target regions of radiotherapy. Key words: Esophageal neoplasms; Lymphatic metastasis; Lymph node excision; Lymphatic irradiation

Patterns of lymphatic drainage and lymph node involvement in esophageal cancer

The esophagus has a complex pattern of lymphatic drainage. Lymph node involvement and number of lymph node metastases are very important prognostic factors, and the newly revised TNM staging system for esophageal cancer reflects this. Knowledge of the location and nomenclature of the common nodal stations in the thorax and upper abdomen is essential for the accurate staging of these patients. PET-CT and EUS are essential in the routine staging of esophageal cancer patients. The aim of this pictorial review is to present the nodal stations, nomenclature and location of regional lymph nodes in esophageal cancer using PET-CT and EUS images from selected patient cases. We will review the EUS and PET-CT imaging for a number of patients with esophageal cancer, using cases which highlight the advantages and diagnostic pitfalls for these imaging modalities.

Variant allele of CHEK2 is associated with a decreased risk of esophageal cancer lymph node metastasis in a Chinese population

Growing evidence suggests that the checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2) signaling pathway occupies a central position in the signaling networks of DNA-damage signaling. Many functional and molecular epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between genetic variants of CHEK2 and various cancers. To evaluate the relationship between CHEK2 functional genetic variants and esophageal cancer risk and the risk of lymph node metastasis among a Chinese population. We genotyped CHEK2 rs738722, rs2236141 and rs2236142 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using the matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry assay in a case-controlled study, including 380 esophageal cancer cases and 380 healthy controls in a Chinese population. We found that none of the three polymorphisms achieved significant difference in their distributions between esophageal cancer cases and controls. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that esophageal cancer risk was not associated significantly with the variant genotypes of the three CHEK2 polymorphisms as compared with their wild-type genotypes. However, we found that functional variant rs738722 and rs2236142 in CHEK2 might contribute to susceptibility to lymph node metastasis. Our data did not support a significant association between CHEK2 SNPs and the risk of esophageal cancer. Functional variant CHEK2 rs738722 and rs2236142 might contribute to lymph node metastasis susceptibility. The CT allele of SNP rs738722 and the GC allele of SNP rs2236142 might be a protective factor of the risk for lymph node metastasis of esophageal cancer.

Influence of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation on the Number and Size of Analyzed Lymph Nodes in Esophageal Cancer

Studies have shown that along with primary tumor response, lymph node status after RTx/CTx is one of the most important prognostic factors for advanced esophageal carcinoma. The goal of our study was to investigate the influence of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (RTx/CTx) on lymph nodes (LN). From 1997 until 2006, 297 patients underwent surgery for advanced esophageal carcinoma. Of these, 192 received preoperative chemoradiation (5-FU, cisplatin, 36 Gy). The following matched subgroups were chosen: Group I, 20 with surgery alone: 10 adenocarcinoma (AC), 10 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); Group II, 20 with minor response (10 AC, 10 SCC); Group III, 20 with major response (10 AC, 10 SCC). Tumor response was graded as "minor" or "major" according to the Cologne Regression Scale, the LN size determined by the largest measured diameter. A total of 1967 LNs from 60 patients were examined. Of these, 161 LNs showed metastasis. The median number of LNs examined per patient was not significantly higher in group I compared with the group with pretreatment (32 vs 31). Group I and group II showed LN metastasis (LNM) in 65% of cases, and group III in only 20% (p = 0.011). LNMs after pretreatment had significantly smaller median diameters (5.0 mm) than those without (7.0 mm) (p < 0.02). Nonmetastatic LN size did not vary between the three groups. LN size with and without metastasis did not differ between AC and SCC or between major and minor responders. With good response to neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy, the size and the number of metastatic LNs is significantly reduced regardless of histologic cancer type.

The clinical application of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography to predict survival in patients with operable esophageal cancer

Metabolic tumor activity using (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) was believed to have a predictive value for patient outcome in malignancies. The objective of the current study was to assess the prognostic effectiveness of the highest standardized uptake value (SUV) in the primary or regional area (peak SUV) and the number of PET-positive lymph nodes in esophageal cancer. The authors retrospectively reviewed their experience with 184 consecutive esophageal cancer patients imaged preoperatively using FDG-PET scanning. The median peak SUV was 4.5 (range, 1.4-21.9). The survival curve was analyzed using the median peak SUV as the cutoff value. Comparison of each group and clinicopathologic characteristics revealed significant associations between peak SUV and each of the following factors: tumor status (P < .001), lymph node status (P < .001), metastatic status (P < .05), stage of disease (P < .001), number of PET-positive lymph nodes (P < .001), and the number of histologically positive lymph nodes (P < .001). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate for patients having FDG uptake with a peak SUV > or =4.5 was 47% and that for patients with a peak SUV <4.5 was 76% (P < .0001). On multivariate survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model, peak SUV and the number of PET-positive lymph nodes were found to be independent predictive factors for OS. The number of PET-positive lymph nodes was a single prognostic factor predicting both disease-free survival and OS. Pretreatment PET cannot only potentially diagnose the extent of disease, but also may be predictive of patient survival after esophageal cancer resection.