Occult Nodal Disease Research Articles

Machine learning to predict occult nodal metastasis in early oral squamous cell carcinoma

ObjectivesTo develop and validate an algorithm to predict occult nodal metastasis in clinically node negative oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) using machine learning. To compare algorithm performance to a model based on tumor depth of invasion (DOI). Materials and methodsPatients who underwent primary tumor extirpation and elective neck dissection from 2007 to 2013 for clinical T1-2N0 OCSCC were identified from the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Multiple machine learning algorithms were developed to predict pathologic nodal metastasis using clinicopathologic data from 782 patients.The algorithm was internally validated using test data from 654 patients in NCDB and was then externally validated using data from 71 patients treated at a single academic institution. Performance was measured using area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). Machine learning and DOI model performance were compared using Delong’s test for two correlated ROC curves. ResultsThe best classification performance was achieved with a decision forest algorithm (AUC = 0.840). When applied to the single-institution data, the predictive performance of machine learning exceeded that of the DOI model (AUC = 0.657, p = 0.007). Compared to the DOI model, machine learning reduced the number of neck dissections recommended while simultaneously improving sensitivity and specificity. ConclusionMachine learning improves prediction of pathologic nodal metastasis in patients with clinical T1-2N0 OCSCC compared to methods based on DOI. Improved predictive algorithms are needed to ensure that patients with occult nodal disease are adequately treated while avoiding the cost and morbidity of neck dissection in patients without pathologic nodal disease.

Centrally located lung cancer and risk ofoccult nodal disease: an objective evaluation of multiple definitions of tumour centrality with dedicated imaging software.

Current guidelines recommend invasive mediastinal staging in patients with centrally located radiographic stage T1N0M0 nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The lack of a specific definition of a central tumour has resulted in discrepancies among guidelines and heterogeneity in practice patterns. Our objective was to study specific definitions of tumour centrality and their association with occult nodal disease. Pre-operative chest computed tomography scans from patients with clinical (c) T1N0M0 NSCLC were processed with a dedicated software system that divides the lungs in thirds following vertical and concentric lines. This software accurately assigns tumours to a specific third based both on the location of the centre of the tumour and its most medial aspect, creating eight possible definitions of central tumours. 607 patients were included in our study. Surgery was performed for 596 tumours (98%). The overall pathological (p) N disease was: 504 (83%) N0, 56 (9%) N1, 47 (8%) N2 and no N3. The prevalence of N2 disease remained relatively low regardless of tumour location. Central tumours were associated with upstaging from cN0 to any N (pN1/pN2). Two definitions were associated with upstaging to any N: concentric lines, inner one-third, centre of the tumour (OR 3.91, 95% CI 1.85-8.26; p<0.001) and concentric lines, inner two-thirds, most medial aspect of the tumour (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.23-2.97; p=0.004). We objectively identified two specific definitions of central tumours. While the rate of occult mediastinal disease was relatively low regardless of tumour location, central tumours were associated with upstaging from cN0 to any N.

Treatment: the role of contact X-ray brachytherapy (Papillon) in the management of early rectal cancer.

Treatment: the role of contact X-ray brachytherapy (Papillon) in the management of early rectal cancer.

Depth of invasion in patients with early stage oral cancer staged by sentinel node biopsy.

BackgroundTo investigate if depth of invasion (DOI) can predict occult nodal disease in patients with cT1‐2N0 (7th TNM) oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) staged by sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB).MethodsIn 199 OSCC patients, DOI measurements and SLNB were performed.ResultsMetastases were found in 64 of 199 patients (32%). Of these 64 patients, the mean DOI was 6.6 mm compared to 4.7 mm in patients without metastases (P = .003). The ROC‐curve showed an area under the curve of 0.65 with a most optimal cutoff point of 3.4 mm DOI (sensitivity 83% and specificity 47%). Regional metastases were found in 15% of patients with DOI ≤ 3.4 mm.ConclusionDOI seems to be a poor predictor for regional metastasis in patients with cT1‐2N0 OSCC. Therefore, staging of the neck using SLNB in patients with early stage oral cancer should also be performed in tumors with limited DOI and probably in T3 (8th TNM) OSCC ≤4 cm diameter.

Nodal staging score and adequacy of nodal staging.

AimsThe number of lymph nodes (LNs) excised in patients with pathologic N0 is limited, and it is very likely that there will be recessive node disease after surgery, so they are at risk of understaging. The purpose of the present study is to develop a nodal staging score (NSS) in a mathematical way to assess the likelihood that a pathologic N0 gastric cancer (GCa) patient has, indeed, no occult nodal disease after surgery.Patients and methodsA total of 14,033 stage I–III GCa patients were identified from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database for analysis. A beta-binomial model was fitted to calculate the probability of missing a nodal disease. This probability is then used to calculate the NSS.ResultsThe probability of missing a nodal disease is decreased with increasing LNs examined across all pT stages. Seven and 24 LNs removed and examined was enough for an NSS of 90% in pT1 and pT2 patients, respectively, ensuring a high confidence of correct nodal negative classification. Twenty-three and 31 LNs examined in pT3 and pT4 patients could also maintain the NSS at 80%, respectively. NSS had a significant impact on patients’ survival across all pT stages (all Ps <0.0001).ConclusionThe probability that GCa patients are free of true nodal disease could be provided by NSS-based prediction, which is conducive to postoperative decision and survival surveillance. In addition, NSS can define a subtle standard on how many LNs examined are enough for adequate staging dependent on pT stages. However, at least 16 LNs examined is the standard recommendation to date.

Management of N0 neck in early oral squamous cell carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The role of elective neck dissection (END) in patients with stage I (T1N0) and II (T2N0) squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity remains a controversial topic. We investigate the need for END by establishing a true incidence of occult nodal disease as a function of T stage DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus. Studies were selected using a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis using a random-effects model was employed to generate an odds ratio (OR) comparing the incidence of occult metastasis between T1 and T2 tumors, as well as regional recurrence rates between patients receiving END versus observation. Thirty-nine publications comprising five randomized controlled trials and 34 retrospective studies were selected for inclusion, yielding over 4,300 patients for analysis. The overall incidence of occult nodal metastasis, weighted by study size, was found to be 23%. Patients with T2 tumors have a significantly higher odds of having occult nodal disease (OR: 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0-3.4) over patients with T1 tumors. We also demonstrate that for patients who are observed, the odds of recurrence are significantly higher (OR: 4.18, 95% CI: 2.78-6.28) compared to those who undergo END, although statistically significant interstudy heterogeneity was observed. END should be reserved for stage II tumors given the significantly higher rate of occult metastasis. Observation may be more appropriate for stage I cancers. Laryngoscope, 129:E284-E298, 2019.

Depth of invasion as a predictor of nodal disease and survival in patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

Depth of invasion (DOI) in oral cavity cancer is important in determining prognosis. This study aims to determine optimal cut-points of DOI for detection of occult disease and survival. A retrospective cohort study was completed of previously untreated early stage lateral oral tongue cancer. DOI cut-points were computed. Multiple logistic regression and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess predictors of occult nodal disease and overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Occult nodal disease was found in 55 (26%) of the 212 patients. DOI of 7.25 mm was most predictive for occult nodal disease and 8 mm for OS and DSS. DOI was an independent predictor of OS and DSS. The optimal DOI cut-point for detection of occult nodal metastasis was 7.25 and 8 mm for OS and DSS at 5 years. DOI is an independent predictor of OS and DSS.

Molecular Staging of Patients with Colon Cancer. The C-Closer-II Study: A Multicentre Study in Portugal.

Approximately 20% - 30% of histological lymph node-negative patients with colorectal cancer relapse at five years aftersurgical treatment. This recurrence is likely due to occult nodal disease undetected by standard histopathological practice which hasimplications in terms of the clinical management of patients. Lymph nodes were collected from colectomy specimens. A central section from each lymph node washistologically examined following haematoxylin-eosin staining and the remaining tissue was subjected to OSNA - one step nucleic acidamplification analysis. A total of 1046 lymph nodes from 59 pN0 patients were assessed. Of these, 753 lymph nodes were examined by bothmethods. The median number of lymph nodes assessed with OSNA - one step nucleic acid amplification was 12 (IQR: 7;16). AmongpN0 patients, 17 had OSNA - one step nucleic acid amplification-positive lymph nodes, resulting in a positive molecular staging rateof 28.8% (95% CI: 17.8 - 42.1). Among these patients, 12 (70.59%) were molecular-staged as pN1 and 5 (29.41%) were molecularstaged as pN2. The tumour burden of lymph nodes assessed with OSNA - one step nucleic acid amplification ranged from 270 to17 000 cytokeratin 19 mRNA copies/μL. Most of these patients (88.2%) were found to have lymph nodes with micrometastases only(250 - 4999 copies/μL). We provide the results from the first study of the use of the OSNA - one step nucleic acid amplification assay in colorectalcancer patients in Portugal. Our results are in-line with other international studies, showing the improvement on patients' staging bymolecular examination of lymph nodes. In our study, 28.8% of patients with histologically negative lymph nodes were found to have metastatic lymph nodes usingOSNA - one step nucleic acid molecular assessment. OSNA - one step nucleic acid assay allows a more accurate staging of patientswith colorectal cancer and standardizes lymph node assessment.

Sentinel lymph node mapping in lung cancer: a step forward?

Early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) currently has a recurrence rate of 20% to 30%, which remains for at least four years after complete resection (1). Patients with occult nodal disease are at high risk of recurrence. Moreover, inaccurate staging in patients with early-stage lung cancer may result in failure to administer appropriate adjuvant treatment.

Maximum Standardized Uptake Value (SUVmax) of Primary Tumor Predicts Occult Neck Metastasis in Oral Cancer

The aim of this study was to investigate the predictability of occult lymph node metastasis using maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) in the primary tumor on pre-treatment 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography FDG-PET in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients who were clinically node negative (cN0) before surgery. A retrospective analysis of all patients treated at the University Hospital Zurich from 2007 to 2016 for OSCC with available pre-therapeutic FDG-PET was performed. We assessed the correlation of SUVmax of the primary tumors with the presence of occult nodal disease in the neck dissection specimen (pN+). The study included a total of 71 patients. In the nodal negative group (cN0/pN0), the median SUVmax of primary tumors was 9.0 (interquartile range (IQR) 7.4–13.9), while it was 11.4 (IQR 9.9–15.7) in the occult metastatic group (cN0/pN+). The difference was statistically significant (independent samples median test, P = 0.037). In a multivariable model, the only independent predictor of occult metastatic disease for cN0 patients was a SUVmax ≥ 9.5 (P = 0.028). Further, primary tumors with SUVmax ≥ 9.5 had a significantly higher risk of local recurrence (Log rank test, P = 0.020). In conclusion, we showed that higher SUVmax (≥9.5) of the primary tumor is associated with higher occurrence of occult metastatic nodal disease and worse local survival. High SUVmax of the primary tumor may encourage clinicians towards more aggressive treatment.

A statistical tool for risk assessment as a function of the number of lymph nodes retrieved from rectal cancer patients.

Although a minimum of 12 lymph nodes (LNs) has been recommended for examination in colorectal cancer patients there remains considerable debate with regard to rectal cancer. Inadequacy of examined LNs could lead to understaging and inappropriate treatment as a consequence. We describe a statistical tool that allows an estimate of the probability of false-negative nodes. A total of 26 778 patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2013 with rectal adenocarcinoma [tumour stage (T stage) 1-3] who did not receive neoadjuvant therapies and had at least one histologically assessed LN were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. A statistical tool using beta-binomial distribution was developed to estimate the probability of missing a positive node as a function of the total number of LNs examined and T stage. The probability of falsely identifying a patient as node-negative decreased with increasing number of nodes examined for each stage. It was estimated to be 72%, 66% and 52% for T1, T2 and T3 patients, respectively, with a single node examined. To confirm an occult nodal disease with 90% confidence, 5, 9 and 29 nodes need to be examined for patients from stages T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The false-negative rate of the examined LNs in rectal cancer was verified to be dependent preoperatively on the clinical T stage. A more accurate nodal staging score was developed to recommend a threshold for the minimum number of examined nodes with regard to the favoured level of confidence.

Clinical Misstagings and Risk Factors of Occult Nodal Disease in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Our objective was to compare the clinical to the pathologic stage in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A prospective database from 1 surgeon was reviewed. Patients had NSCLC, chest tomography (CT), and most had positron emission tomography (PET). Those with suggested N1, N2, central tumors, or tumors larger than 5 cm underwent mediastinoscopy or endobronchial ultrasound, or both, and if N2 negative, underwent resection with complete thoracic lymphadenectomy. Between January 2006 and December 2016, there were 1,444 consecutive patients. The sensitivity and specificity for CT was 76% and 79% for pathologic stage I, 48% and 89% for stage II, and 58% and 88% for stage III. The sensitivity and specificity for PET was 77% and 70% for pathologic stage I, 43% and 88% for stage II, and 46% and 93% for stage III. Pathologic N1 disease was proven in 7% of patients and missed in 4% by CT, 5% by PET, and 3% by both. Pathologic N2 disease was proven in 20% of patients and missed in 9% by CT, 10% by PET, and 8% by both. Occult N2 disease was present in 10% of clinically stage Ipatients and in 21% of clinically stage II patients. Independentpredictors of occult N1 disease included highmaximum standardized uptake value (p= 0.034) and predictors of N2 disease included African American race (p= 0.020) and large tumor size (p= 0.047). Despite advancements in CT, PET, and minimally invasive nodal biopsy, there remains significant NSCLC misstaging, especially for N2 disease. Improved, targeted N2 lymph node biopsy may improve preresection staging.

2314 (In)Adequacy of prophylactic central lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid cancer in the United States: An analysis of 18,755 patients

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: The incidence of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has sharply increased in recent decades. Though thyroid resection is the best treatment modality, there is significant variation in practice involving use of prophylactic central lymph node dissection (PCLND) at time of thyroidectomy. Recently, a threshold number for lymph node (LN) yield was determined to assure adequacy of lymphadenectomy in evaluating occult nodal disease via PCLND for pathologic T3, clinical N0, M0 PTC patients, for whom guidelines recommend PCLND. This study assesses the prevalence of adequate prophylactic LN dissection (APLND) and determines its association with patient, and disease characteristics. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Adult patients receiving surgery for pT3 cN0 M0 PTC &gt;1 cm were identified from the National Cancer Data Base, 2004–2015. APLND for pT3 stage was defined as removing 8 or more LNs, based on recent literature. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were employed to determine factors associated with APLND and inadequate prophylactic LN dissection (IPLND). RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: In total, 18,755 patients were included: 2905 (10.1%) had APLND; 15,849 (89.9%) had IPLND. Rate of APLND increased from 4.9% to 17.9% over the decade. Patients receiving APLND were younger than those receiving IPLND (47 vs. 52 years, respectively, p&lt;0.001). The proportion of cases found to be LN positive in the APLND group was 64.5%, while that in the IPLND group was 18.2% (p&lt;0.001). After adjustment, Whites were more likely than Blacks to receive APLND [OR 1.86 (95% CI 1.51–2.30), p&lt;0.001]. The adjusted OR of receiving APLND was higher at academic centers [1.76 (1.29–2.41), p&lt;0.001] and at integrated centers [1.77 (1.25–2.51), p&lt;0.001], compared with community facilities. After adjustment, patients with multifocal tumors were more likely to receive APLND than those with unifocal tumors [1.28 (1.17–1.41), p&lt;0.001]. Unplanned 30-day readmission rate was higher in the APLND group (2.4%) compared to the IPLND group (1.7%, p&lt;0.001); this remained significant after adjustment [OR for APLND 1.80 (1.31–2.47), p&lt;0.001]. There was no significant difference in the likelihood of receiving radioactive iodine between patients who underwent APLND Versus IPLND [1.00 (0.90–1.00), p=0.6]. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: APLND is associated with a higher likelihood of finding metastatic LNs, and an increased risk of unplanned short-term readmissions. The rate of APLND has increased over time, but still only a minority of thyroid cancer patients undergo adequate prophylactic surgery. Disparities exist based on patient, facility, and disease characteristics. Further work is needed to study the association between adequacy of dissection and disease recurrence.

Preoperative predictors of occult nodal disease in cT1N0 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: Review of 2623 cases.

Nodal disease predicts survival in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Currently, no large studies on predictors of occult nodal disease in cT1N0 oral cavity SCC exist. The National Cancer Database (NCDB) review for cT1N0 oral cavity SCC with surgical resection and elective neck dissection (END). The number of patients found with occult nodal disease was 2623 (15.1%). In multivariable regression, female sex and tumor differentiation predict occult nodal disease. Occult nodal disease incidence was 5.9% in well-differentiated tumors, 17.4% in moderately differentiated tumors, and 28.5% in poorly differentiated tumor (P < .001). Women with oral tongue tumors had higher occult nodal disease (19.1%) than men (12%; P = .001). Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for occult nodal disease in women were: aOR 1.26; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.59; P = .045; moderately differentiated aOR 3.52; 95% CI 2.47-5.01; P < .001; and poorly differentiated aOR 6.25; 95% CI 4.17-9.38; P < .001. Sex and tumor differentiation significantly predict occult nodal disease. END is recommended for all moderately and poorly differentiated cT1N0 oral cavity SCC, regardless of the depth of invasion. One can consider not performing END in well-differentiated tumors.

Utility of PET-CT in detecting nodal metastasis in cN0 early stage oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

BackgroundManagement of the clinically node-negative neck (cN0) in patients with early stage oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) is challenging. Accurate imaging alternatives to elective neck dissections would help reduce surgical morbidity. While pooled studies suggest that imaging modalities have similar accuracy in predicting occult nodal disease, no study has examined the utility of PET-CT in this specific population of low-volume, clinically T1 and T2 OCSCC patients. MethodsA retrospective review of patients in the Alberta Cancer Registry who were diagnosed with cT1 or T2N0M0 OCSCC who underwent elective unilateral or bilateral neck dissections was performed. Pre-operative PET-CT and CT necks were reviewed for number of radiographically suspicious lymph nodes. Surgical pathology reports were reviewed to obtain the total number of nodes sampled and number of malignant nodes. ResultsBetween 2009 and 2013, 148 patients were diagnosed with cT1 or T2N0M0 OCSCC. Of these, 96 patients underwent elective neck dissections. All patients underwent preoperative CT of the neck with 32 patients having undergone additional preoperative PET-CT. Based on finally surgical pathology, the overall rate of occult metastasis was 13.5% (13/96). The overall sensitivity and specificity of PET-CT in this cohort was 21.4% and 98.4%, respectively with a negative predictive value of 99.1%. Although sensitivity improved in patients with tumors ≥2 cm and depth ≥4 mm, specificity remained unchanged. ConclusionIn patients with cT1 and T2N0 OCSCC, PET-CT has high negative predictive value. These patients can be considered for treatment with single modality surgical resection and elective neck dissection.

Endoscopic ultrasound staging for early esophageal cancer: Are we denying patients neoadjuvant chemo-radiation?

AIMTo evaluate the accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in early esophageal cancer (EC) performed in a high-volume tertiary cancer center.METHODSA retrospective review of patients undergoing esophagectomy was performed and patients with cT1N0 and cT2N0 esophageal cancer by EUS were evaluated. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment were reviewed. EUS staging was compared to surgical pathology to determine accuracy of EUS. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the cohort. Student’s t test and Fisher’s exact test or χ2 test was used to compare variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine if clinical variables such as tumor location and tumor histology were associated with EUS accuracy.RESULTSBetween 2000 and 2015, 139 patients with clinical stageIorIIA esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy were identified. There were 25 (18%) female and 114 (82%) male patients. The tumor location included the middle third of the esophagus in 11 (8%) and lower third and gastroesophageal junction in 128 (92%) patients. Ninety-three percent of patients had adenocarcinoma. Preoperative EUS matched the final surgical pathology in 73/139 patients for a concordance rate of 53%. Twenty-nine patients (21%) were under-staged by EUS; of those, 19 (14%) had unrecognized nodal disease. Positron emission tomography (PET) was used in addition to EUS for clinical staging in 62/139 patients. Occult nodal disease was only found in 4 of 62 patients (6%) in whom both EUS and PET were negative for nodal involvement.CONCLUSIONEUS is less accurate in early EC and endoscopic mucosal resection might be useful in certain settings. The addition of PET to EUS improves staging accuracy.

Prognostic factors and occult nodal disease in mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx: An analysis of the National Cancer Database

ObjectivesMucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is an uncommon malignancy that most commonly occurs in the parotid gland followed by the minor salivary glands of the upper aerodigestive tract, most notably in the oral cavity (OC) and oropharynx (OP). Because of its rarity, few studies have been performed that are specific to MEC within the OC and OP. The objective of this study is to describe the tumor characteristics and prognostic features for MEC of the OC and OP. Materials and MethodsThe National Cancer Database (NCDB) was used for this study. The primary outcome measure was 5-year overall survival (OS). The secondary outcome measure was occult nodal disease. Fischer’s exact tests, chi-square tests, log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed. ResultsWe identified 3005 patients with MEC of the OC/OP. The 5-year overall survival for MEC of the OC and OP was 87%. Increasing age, male sex, Charlson/Deyo comorbidity score of 2+, clinical T3-4 tumors, nodal+disease, high grade tumors and positive margins were independently associated with decreased 5-year OS. Occult nodal disease occurred in 14.1% and 17.3% of high grade and clinical T3-T4 tumors respectively. ConclusionMEC of the OC/OP has an excellent survival as the majority of these patients have low/intermediate grade and early stage disease. Negative prognosticators include increasing age, male sex, Charlson/Deyo comorbidity score of 2+, clinical T3-4 tumors, nodal+ disease, high grade tumors and positive margins. Our findings justify strong consideration of prophylactic neck dissection for high grade and clinical T3-4 tumors.

Assessing the adequacy of lymph node yield for different tumor stages of colon cancer by nodal staging scores

BackgroundAccording to the current official guidelines, at least 12 lymph nodes (LNs) are qualified as an adequate sampling for colon cancer patients. However, patients evaluated with less nodes were still common in the United States, and the prevalence of positive nodal disease may be under-estimated because of the false-negative assessment. In this study, we present a statistical model that allows preoperative determination of the minimum number of lymph nodes needed to confirm a node-negative disease with certain confidence.MethodsAdenocarcinoma colon cancer patients with stage T1-T3, diagnosed between 2004 and 2013, who did not receive neoadjuvant therapies and had at least one lymph node pathologically examined, were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. A beta binomial distribution was used to estimate the probability of an occult nodal disease is truly node-negative as a function of total number of LNs examined and T stage.ResultsA total of 125,306 patients met study criteria; and 47,788 of those were node-positive. The probability of falsely identifying a patient as node-negative decreased with an increasing number of nodes examined for each stage, and was estimated to be 72% for T1 and T2 patients with a single node examined and 57% for T3 patients with a single node examined. To confirm an occult nodal disease with 90% confidence, 3, 8, and 24 nodes need to be examined for patients from stage T1, T2, and T3, respectively.ConclusionsThe false-negative rate of diagnosed node negative, together with the minimum number of examined nodes for adequate staging, depend preoperatively on the clinical T stage. Predictive tools can recommend a threshold on the minimum number of examined nodes regarding to the favored level of confidence for each T stage.

Head and neck desmoplastic melanoma: Utility of sentinel node biopsy

PurposeThe utility of sentinel lymph node biopsy in desmoplastic melanoma has been questioned due to multiple reports of a low rate of occult nodal metastasis in this variant of melanoma. We describe a single institution experience with management of desmoplastic melanoma of the head and neck and discuss the utility of sentinel lymph node biopsy. Materials and methodsA retrospective review was performed of 49 patients with desmoplastic melanoma of the head and neck at a tertiary care center from 1994 to 2014. ResultsSentinel lymph node biopsy was performed in 15 patients. Only 1 (6.7%) of these patients was found to have a positive sentinel node. Of the 46 patients without evidence of neck disease at presentation, 3 (6.5%) were found to have occult nodal disease or developed neck recurrences. When looking at the entire cohort, there were a total of 16 recurrences in 14 patients (28.6%). The majority (85.7%) of recurrences were either local or distant metastasis with only 2 (14.3%) recurrences being in regional lymph node basins. The overall rates of local, regional, and distant recurrences were 14.2%, 4.1%, and 10.2% respectively. The mixed pathologic subtype was not associated with a higher rate of nodal metastasis. ConclusionsDesmoplastic melanoma has a low rate of occult nodal metastasis and a high propensity to recur locally or as a distant metastasis, regardless of regional node status. Our experience combined with the uncertain impact that sentinel node status has on survival raises the question of the utility of routine sentinel node biopsy in this specific variant of melanoma.

What is the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, radiation, and adjuvant treatment in resectable esophageal cancer?

The majority of patients with operable esophageal cancers present with locally advanced disease, for which surgical resection as a sole treatment modality has been historically associated with poor survival. Even following radical resection, most of these patients will eventually succumb to their disease due to distant metastasis. For this reason, there has been intense interest in the role of neoadjuvant therapy. Neoadjuvant therapy primarily consists of either chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of the two. Multiple studies of variable scope, design, and patient characteristics have been conducted to determine whether neoadjuvant therapy is warranted, and-if so-what is the best modality of treatment. Despite nearly three decades of study, decisions regarding neoadjuvant therapy for esophageal cancer remain controversial. Regardless, the available evidence provided by large, prospective studies supports preoperative chemotherapy as opposed to surgery alone. Therefore, in our opinion, there is no longer any question as to whether induction therapy is appropriate for locally advanced esophageal cancer. Less clear, however, is the evidence that the addition of radiation to chemotherapy in the preoperative setting is superior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone. Our group generally advocates for neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone followed by radical esophageal resection. The data for adjuvant therapy are soft, and particularly troubling is the high rate of treatment drop out in trials studying adjuvant therapy. Therefore, we strongly prefer neoadjuvant chemotherapy and reserve adjuvant chemotherapy for those rare, highly selected patients-patients with T1 tumors, for example-who do not receive neoadjuvant treatment and are found to have occult nodal disease at the time of surgery.