Positive Para-aortic Nodes Research Articles

The role of laparoscopic lymphadenectomy in the management of cervical carcinoma

Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy was performed on 18 patients with invasive carcinoma of the cervix prior to definitive radiation therapy and/or radical hysterectomy. Ten patients underwent pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomies prior to planned radiotherapy. Two of these patients had grossly positive pelvic nodes, and one had a microscopically positive para-aortic node. Eight patients with early disease were considered candidates for radical hysterectomy and underwent laparoscopic lymphadenectomy. Three of these patients were found to have positive pelvic lymph nodes and the hysterectomy was abandoned. Five patients underwent radical hysterectomies immediately following their laparoscopic procedures. The average number of lymph nodes removed laparoscopically in these patients was 31.4; the average number of additional lymph nodes resected at laparotomy with the radical hysterectomy was 2.8. A single microscopically positive parametrial lymph node was found on permanent section in 1 patient with radical hysterectomy. No significant complications were associated with the laparoscopic lymphadenectomies. Nine of the 13 patients who underwent laparoscopic procedures only were discharged on Postoperative Day 1. The ability to perform pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy allows for complete surgical staging of carcinoma of the cervix laparoscopically.

Clinical Stage I adenocarcinoma of the endometrium—Analysis of recurrences and the potential benefit of staging lymphadenectomy

Two hundred forty-eight consecutive patients with clinical Stage I adenocarcinoma of the endometrium were seen between 8 77 and 8 88 . Twenty-one were medically not operable and eleven others had papillary serous tumors. The remaining 216 were managed by a consistent operative protocol except that routine preoperative cesium was discontinued after 12 83 . Patients received postoperative pelvic radiation on the basis of the depth of invasion, extrauterine pelvic disease, and/or cervix involvement. No patient underwent a pelvic lymphadenectomy. Only palpably suspicious nodes were removed. Twenty-one of these two hundred sixteen patients developed a recurrence. These 21 cases are analyzed for the probability of a staging lymphadenectomy having prevented their recurrence. Median follow-up of all 216 patients is 61 months with a mean time to recurrence of 26.5 months. No patient was lost to follow-up. Patients who recurred are analyzed by grade, depth of invasion, surgical stage, time to recurrence, site of recurrence, survival, protocol breaks, and frozen section discrepancies. No patient recurred on the pelvic sidewall. All patients found to have positive para-aortic nodes have died. No patient who received vaginal and/or pelvic radiation recurred in the pelvis. We conclude that staging lymphadenectomy would not have improved the outcome for these patients.

Pretherapeutic scalene lymph node biopsy in ovarian cancer

To study scalene lymph node involvement in ovarian cancer, 37 patients with this disease underwent pretherapeutic open sampling of the left scalene fat tissue. Only 1 patient had a palpable supraclavicular mass. Positive scalene nodes were found in 7 (22%) of 32 patients with stage III or IV disease. Three of four patients with positive scalene nodes also had both positive pelvic and positive paraaortic nodes; one patient with stage IV disease had negative pelvic and paraaortic nodes. Demonstration of scalene node involvement per se currently does not alter the management of patients with ovarian cancer, although patients with occult involvement of the scalene nodes could be considered ineligible for intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Retroperitoneal lymphatic involvement with epithelial ovarian tumors of low malignant potential

A comprehensive understanding of retroperitoneal lymphatic involvement is lacking in tumors of low malignant potential. This study was undertaken to evaluate retroperitoneal lymphatic involvement in patients with ovarian tumors of low malignant potential. One hundred seventy-one patients were diagnosed with epithelial ovarian tumors of low malignant potential between 1979 and 1989. Thirty-four (20%) of these patients underwent surgical staging which included lymph node sampling. The stage distribution was Stage I in 17 patients (50%), Stage II in 4 patients (12%) and Stage III in 13 patients (38%). The histology of the tumors was serous in 26 patients (76%), mucinous in 7 patients (21%) and seromucinous in 1 patient (3%). The incidence of retroperitoneal lymphatic involvement was 21%. The occurrence of positive pelvic and para-aortic nodes was 17 and 18%, respectively. Patients with localized intraperitoneal disease were upstaged in 22% of the cases based on retroperitoneal lymphatic involvement. Four of twenty-one patients (19%) with intraperitoneal disease confined to the ovary and two of six patients (33%) with intraperitoneal disease confined to the pelvis were upstaged to Stage III as a result of retroperitoneal lymphatic disease. Although the nodal status of patients did not significantly affect survival, those patients with localized intraperitoneal disease and nodal involvement had a higher incidence of recurrence which was statistically significant ( P = 0.025). Accordingly, retroperitoneal lymph node sampling at the time of initial laparotomy may provide valuable prognostic information regarding recurrence in patients with tumors of low malignant potential.

Patterns of pelvic and paraaortic lymph node involvement in ovarian cancer

One hundred eighty patients with ovarian cancer underwent complete pelvic lymphadenectomy ( n = 75) or pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy ( n = 105). Twenty-one patients underwent a preoperative biopsy of the scalene lymph nodes. The incidence of positive lymph nodes was 24% in stage I ( n = 37), 50% in stage II ( n = 14), 74% in stage III ( n = 114), and 73% in stage IV ( n = 15). Of the 105 patients who underwent pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy, 13 (12%) had positive pelvic and negative paraaortic nodes and 10 (9%) had positive paraaortic and negative pelvic nodes. Positive scalene nodes were found in four patients (19%) later shown to have stage IV disease. One hundred forty patients were studied for number of involved nodes and node groups, size of nodal metastases, residual tumor, and survival. Of the 81 patients with positive nodes, most had only one or two positive node groups or one to three positive individual nodes. A few patients had seven to eight involved node groups with up to 44 positive nodes. Greater numbers of positive nodes were found in stage III than stage IV. The size of the largest nodal metastasis was not related to the clinical stage or survival, but did correlate with the number of positive nodes. Stage III patients with no residual tumor had a significantly lower rate of lymph node involvement than those with tumor residual ( P < 0.01). Actuarial 5-year survival rates of patients with stage III disease and no, one, or more than one positive nodes were 69, 58, and 28%, respectively.

Surgical Staging of Cervical Cancer

Noninvasive radiologic methods to detect paraaortic lymph node metastases are reliable when combined with FNA of enlarged lymph nodes. However, the sensitivity is low, and undetected microscopic metastases leads to treatment failure. These patients with paraaortic lymph node metastasis are not treated with extended-field radiation, and they all die within 3 years. The CT scanning is probably the best diagnostic method to evaluate cervical cancer, because it can assess the primary tumor, the urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, liver parenchyma, and retroperitoneum. It also permits the guidance of FNA and the arrangement of radiation ports. Surgical staging provides the direct assessment of the peritoneal cavity and the retroperitoneal spaces. Metastatic tumor, including enlarged lymph nodes, can be resected, but this is of dubious benefit. The operative morbidity is acceptable, with fewer intestinal complications when the extraperitoneal approach is used, and long-term morbidity is minimal when appropriate paraaortic radiation doses are employed (less than 5,000 cGy). Surgical staging has provided data on the frequency of paraaortic lymph node metastasis by stage of cervical cancer, and thus, treatment strategies can be better developed. Extended-field radiation results in 5-year survival rates of 20-25% in patients with microscopic paraaortic lymph node metastasis, patients who would not survive without the treatment. However, surgical staging has produced only a modest boost in survival rates, because of the high rate of pelvic and systemic failure. When extended-field radiation is used prophylactically or in patients with probable lymph node metastasis seen on radiographic studies, survival rates are similar to patients irradiated after surgical staging finds paraaortic lymph node disease. As our ability to predict, and detect nonsurgically, positive paraaortic node disease improves, extended radiation (or other adjuvant therapy) could be used more frequently without operation in patients who are at high risk for metastatic disease. In a study by Haie et al, prophylactic paraaortic radiation was given to patients at high risk for paraaortic metastasis. In patients with a high probability of local disease control, paraaortic radiation significantly reduced the incidence of paraaortic and distant metastases. Patients with known paraaortic lymph node metastases frequently have occult systemic metastases. In these same patients, pelvic failure is also common. Thus, until effective systemic therapies emerge, a marked improvement in survival is unlikely in patients who have paraaortic lymph node metastasis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Clinical-pathologic study of stage IIB, III, and IVA carcinoma of the cervix: Extended diagnostic evaluation for paraaortic node metastasis—A Gynecologic Oncology Group study

Three hundred twenty patients were entered into GOG Protocol 63, a clinical-pathologic study of stage IIB, III, and IVA cervical carcinoma. Following the completion of FIGO staging prerequisites, patients had computerized tomography (CT), a lymphangiogram (LAG), and an ultrasound (US) of the aortic area. If any study was positive, a cytologic or histologic evaluation by fine-needle aspiration or selective paraaortic lymphadenectomy was performed. Paraaortic node dissection was mandated for patients with negative extended staging studies. Results of extended staging evaluations were compared with histologic or cytologic results. Two hundred sixty-four patients were eligible and evaluable. One hundred sixty-seven patients (63%) were stage IIB, 89 (34%) were stage III, and 8 (3%) were stage IVA. Positive paraaortic nodes occurred in 21% of stage IIB, 31% of stage III, and 13% of stage IVA. LAG sensitivity was 79% with a specificity of 73%. Sensitivity of CT and US was 34 and 19%, respectively, with specificities of 96 and 99%, respectively. The frequency of false-negative results with LAG for patients with stage IIB disease was 6%. This decrease is consistent with a stable sensitivity and specificity. These findings suggest that a negative LAG may be adequate to eliminate surgical staging in subgroups with low risk of metastasis to the aortic nodes. Until new noninvasive testing methods are developed, LAG appears to be the most reliable noninvasive examination to evaluate spread of cervical cancer to aortic nodes.

Assessment of pretreatment laparotomy in patients with cervical carcinoma prior to radiotherapy

One hundred fifty-five patients with cervical cancer not amenable to radical surgery underwent selective, paraaortic lymphadenectomy and exploratory laparotomy prior to the initiation of radiotherapy. Fifty-one patients underwent transperitoneal lymphadenectomy; the remainder had the procedure performed using the extraperitoneal approach. Twenty-six patients (17%) were found to have metastatic disease to the paraaortic lymph nodes. The incidence of paraaortic metastases increased with advancing clinical stage. Twenty-four of the 26 patients were treated with extended-field radiotherapy which did not exceed 5100 cGy to the paraaortic region. Twenty-three percent of the patients with positive paraaortic nodes had documented intraperitoneal tumor. Two- and five-year actuarial survival rates for patients with paraaortic metastases were 35 and 27%, respectively. Approximately 4.6% of patients undergoing a selective paraaortic lymphadenectomy derived therapeutic benefit from the information supplied by the procedure. Using a Cox model, tumor histology, status of the paraaortic lymph nodes, tumor size, and presence of intraperitoneal disease were statistically significant prognostic factors in patient survival. Tumor size and presence of intraperitoneal disease were major predictors Of patient Survival.

1 The spread of ovarian cancer

Spreading intra-abdominally, ovarian cancer reaches the upper abdomen relatively quickly. Metastases result from the implantation of cells from the primary tumour or, perhaps, may arise de novo from the peritoneal epithelium. The tumour also spreads via the lymphatics directly to the pelvic nodes, directly to the para-aortic nodes, or directly to both. Pelvic nodes were positive in 57.9% of patients of all stages. The highest incidence, 70.4%, was found in Stage III. The percentage of positive para-aortic nodes was lower, namely 50.9% overall incidence and 67.6% in Stage III. Concerning the concomitant involvement of pelvic and para-aortic nodes, 40.4% of patients with positive pelvic nodes also had positive para-aortic nodes. Of patients with negative pelvic nodes, 36.8% also had negative para-aortic nodes. Of all patients, 12.3% had positive pelvic nodes and negative para-aortic nodes. Conversely, 10.5% of all patients had positive para-aortic nodes and negative pelvic nodes. There is a significant association between the involvement of the diaphragm and that of the pelvic and para-aortic nodes. Of those patients with tumour deposits on the diaphragm, 84.4% also had positive retroperitoneal nodes. Conversely, 55.9% of patients with positive nodes also had tumour deposits on the diaphragm. This means that ovarian cancer spreads almost simultaneously in two ways: intra-abdominally and retroperitoneally. Surgical treatment must address both modes.

14 Lymph node metastasis and retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy in ovarian cancer

While clinicians are devoting themselves to the study of the behaviour of ovarian cancer as well as to the search for more effective therapeutic modalities, little attention has been paid to an important route of metastasis in this group of diseases: retroperitoneal spread through the lymphatic pathway. The purpose of this report is to present a 5-year experience of a prospective study on lymph node metastasis in patients with ovarian cancer through retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital. From June 1982 through May 1987, retroperitoneal lymph node dissection was performed in 105 cases of ovarian cancer. Seventy-seven (73.3%) were histologically diagnosed as cancer of epithelial origin, and 28 (26.7%) as germ-cell tumours. The overall incidence of retroperitoneal positive nodes was 54.3% (57/105). The incidence of positive pelvic nodes was 46.7% (49/105), and that of positive para-aortic nodes was 37.5% (30/80). In 69 patients who underwent systemic lymphadenectomy, 39 were found to have glandular involvement; in these 39 patients both aortic and pelvic nodes were positive in 19 cases (48.7%), aortic nodes were positive and pelvic nodes negative in 7 cases (18.0%), and pelvic nodes were positive and aortic nodes negative in 13 cases (33.3%). Preoperative lymphography was performed in 30 cases. The positive and negative correspondence rates with the pathological findings were both 83.3%. In 38 cases in which the primary cancer originated in the left ovary, 17 (44.7%) were found to have positive pelvic nodes, whereas in 25 cases with primary cancer arising in the right ovary only 2 (8%) had metastasis of the ipsilateral pelvic nodes. The lymph nodes obtained from 22 patients with positive nodes and sufficient preoperative chemotherapy were carefully examined under the microscope for the effects of the drugs. Some cellular degeneration of the lymph node metastasis was observed in only one of the 15 cases of epithelial cancer, and no response at all was noted in three cases of immature teratoma. Cellular degeneration accompanied by extensive necrosis was demonstrated in the metastatic tumours of the lymph nodes in all four cases of endodermal sinus tumour. Seventy-two patients were followed-up for at least 2 1/2 years. The rate of complete remission was 46.7% (14/30) in patients with negative nodes, but only 33.3% (14/42) in those with positive nodes. However, the difference was not statistically significant.

Extended field irradiation for carcinoma of the uterine cervix with positive paraaortic nodes

Extended field irradiation for carcinoma of the uterine cervix with positive paraaortic nodes

2 Clinical and operative staging of cervical cancer

Clinical staging is inaccurate in about 50% of patients with cervical cancer. Most patients will be upstaged on the basis of surgical exploration, usually because of occult nodal metastases. Data from surgical staging indicate that the incidence of positive para-aortic nodes is about 7% for patients with Stage I disease, about 17% for Stage II, and 28% for Stage III. Extended field radiation, to the level of T12, can salvage about 25% of patients with positive para-aortic nodes. About 40% of patients having extended field radiation develop distant metastases, and about 25% develop a pelvic recurrence. These data suggest the need for prospective clinical trials to evaluate the role of chemoradiation for improved local control, prophylactic extended field radiation for improved regional control, and prophylactic chemotherapy for improved systemic control.

11 Pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy in cervical cancer

The surgical treatment of invasive cervical cancer must both remove the primary tumour and eliminate the paths by which it spreads--i.e., the lymphatics and the lymph nodes. In 359 patients, systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy yielded positive nodes in 30.3% of Stage Ib and in 44.7% of Stage IIb cases. In the 140 patients with positive nodes, the obturator group was involved in 76.4%, the external iliac group in 62.8%, and the presacral and subaortic nodes in only 4.3%. One node group was involved in 55% of the patients, two and three groups in 27.8% and 7.1% respectively. In patients with only one positive node group, the obturator nodes were involved the most often (31.4%), followed by the external iliac (21.4%) and parametrial nodes (9.2%). Nine patients with Stage Ib and 31 patients with Stage IIb disease underwent para-aortic as well as pelvic lymphadenectomy. Positive para-aortic nodes were found in 11.1% and 22.6%, respectively; 12.5% of these patients had major complications, but there was no surgical mortality. Since radiotherapy cannot sterilize positive nodes, systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy may improve the survival of such patients.

Uterine sarcoma: An analysis of 74 cases

Abstract In order to determine whether recent methods of diagnosis and treatment have resulted in an improved survival for patients with uterine sarcoma, we reviewed 99 cases treated in our center from 1970–1985. Morphologic characteristics of 74 tumors were specifically reassessed for this study. All tumors were graded. Of 42 Stage I cases that were morphologically assessed, tumor-positive pelvic lymph nodes were found in two of the 15 patients in whom sampling was done. No cases of tumor-positive para-aortic nodes were found in 14 patients with Stage I disease. In Stage I and Stage II, no cases of positive para-aortic nodes were found in association with negative pelvic nodes. The 2- and 5-year survival rates in Stage I were 47.4% and 29.4%, respectively. Local recurrence decreased (p

Evaluation of the scalene lymph nodes in primary and recurrent cervical carcinoma

Open biopsy of the left scalene lymph nodes has been utilized to identify distant spread of cervical carcinoma in selected groups of patients who do not have other clinical evidence of disseminated disease. Twenty-one patients with primary cervical carcinoma and histologically proven para-aortic lymph node metastases and 10 patients with centrally recurrent tumors underwent scalene lymph node biopsy at Walter Reed Army Medical Center or the Naval Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland, between July 1, 1979 and June 30, 1985. All patients undergoing scalene node biopsy had clinically negative physical examinations. There were no surgical complications. All 31 biopsies were negative for metastatic tumor. Combined with previously reported data from this instituton, 3 of 28 patients (11%) with primary cervical carcinoma and involved para-aortic nodes, and 6 of 35 patients (17%) with centrally recurrent disease had subclinical scalene node metastases. Patients with clinically suspicious scalene lymphadenopathy had fine needle aspiration cytology performed to document metastatic disease. The success of this technique has eliminated the need for open biopsy in these patients. Scalene node biopsy provides valuable prognostic information in patients with cervical cancer who have positive para-aortic lymph nodes. It also obviates surgical exploration in some patients felt to have resectable recurrent disease who actually have subclinical distant spread.

Endometrial Carcinoma

From 1974 to 1979, 138 patients who were treated for endometrial carcinoma underwent pelvic and paraaortic node dissection. Eighteen patients had positive paraaortic nodes (12.5%). Eleven out of twelve patients with microscopic disease and five out of six patients with gross disease received 5000 XRT to the paraaortic region as well as 4500 XRT to the pelvis. Megace at a dose of 160 mg daily was also given. Five-year survival rates were as follows: 66.7% (8/12) for microscopic disease, 16.7% (1/6) for gross disease. For Stage I microscopic disease, 66.5% (5/8), for Stage I gross disease 0% (0/4). For Stage II microscopic disease 66.7% (2/3) and for Stage II gross disease 50% (1/2). External RT to the paraaortic nodes appears to be beneficial for patients with microscopic disease in Stage I and Stage II endometrial carcinoma with minimal complications.

Endometrial carcinoma: Treatment of positive paraaortic nodes

From 1974 to 1979, 138 patients who were treated for endometrial carcinoma underwent pelvic and paraaortic node dissection. Eighteen patients had positive paraaortic nodes (12.5%). Eleven out of twelve patients with microscopic disease and five out of six patients with gross disease received 5000 XRT to the paraaortic region as well as 4500 XRT to the pelvis. Megace at a dose of 160 mg daily was also given. Five-year survival rates were as follows: 66.7% (812) for microscopic disease, 16.7% (16) for gross disease. For Stage I microscopic disease, 66.5% (58), for Stage I gross disease 0% (04). For Stage II microscopic disease 66.7% (23) and for Stage II gross disease 50% (12). External RT to the paraaortic nodes appears to be beneficial for patients with microscopic disease in Stage I and Stage II endometrial carcinoma with minimal complications.

The influence of hematogenous and serosal metastases on advanced (FIGO IIA-IVB) squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

Of 120 patients with FIGO stage IIA-IVB squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix treated with standard radiotherapeutic techniques, 41 (34.2%) relapsed with hematogenous or serosal metastases. Development of such metastases was individually associated with patient age less than or equal to 55, bilateral bulky parametrial extension, and histologically positive paraaortic nodes. Poor histologic differentiation exerted significant negative influence only in patients age less than or equal to 55. Neither surgical staging nor vascular injury predisposed to hematogenous dissemination. Radiotherapy techniques differed only in increased time to completion, from 84 to 100 days in clinical IIB and IIIB patients developing metastases. Local or regional pelvic recurrences, although associated with an increase in hematogenous or serosal metastases, were not accompanied by concomitant relapse in extrapelvic nodes. Twenty-six of 41 metastases were limited to single organ systems, with pulmonary sites most common (43.9%). A direct (non-nodal) route of hematogenous dissemination of 31% was documented within clinical stages IIA and IIB. One hundred percent concordance between bilateral bulky parametrial involvement and positive pretreatment paraaortic nodes occurred in clinical stage IIIB and IVA patients with metastatic relapse. Our data from the period 1976-1985 do not substantially differ from earlier reports on the incidence or distribution of hematogenous or serosal metastases, despite our implementation of contemporary local/regional radiotherapy prescriptions. The potential for hematogenous and serosal metastases in high-risk patients with advanced squamous cervical carcinoma merits consideration of alternative treatment protocols and precise definition of the role of pretreatment surgical staging procedures.

Uterine sarcoma: An analysis of 74 cases

In order to determine whether recent methods of diagnosis and treatment have resulted in an improved survival for patients with uterine sarcoma, we reviewed 99 cases treated in our center from 1970–1985. Morphologic characteristics of 74 tumors were specifically reassessed for this study. All tumors were graded. Of 42 Stage I cases that were morphologically assessed, tumor-positive pelvic lymph nodes were found in two of the 15 patients in whom sampling was done. No cases of tumor-positive para-aortic nodes were found in 14 patients with Stage I disease. In Stage I and Stage II, no cases of positive para-aortic nodes were found in association with negative pelvic nodes. The 2- and 5-year survival rates in Stage I were 47.4% and 29.4%, respectively. Local recurrence decreased (p < 0.01) in Stage I from nine of 22 cases in which operation alone was performed to none of 15 cases in which pelvic radiotherapy was added, but no improvement in the 5-year survival rate was observed. As with lymphadenectomy and radiotherapy, the recent use of chemotherapy for uterine sarcoma had no impact on survival.

Neoadjuvant therapy for advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix: Cisplatin followed by radiation therapy—A pilot study of the gynecologic oncology group

Eleven patients with untreated advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (FIGO Stage IIIB and IVA, or positive paraaortic nodes) were treated with cisplatin 50 mg/m 2 every 3 weeks for six courses prior to irradiation therapy (RT). Six patients completed six courses of cisplatin prior to RT with one complete and two partial responses (PR). Five other patients did not complete cisplatin therapy; two progressed after two and three courses, one had a PR after three courses and refused further therapy, one refused treatment after two courses and one elected to begin RT after one course. Two patients had reversible nephrotoxicity. No other major toxicity was noted. Six patients had stem cell assay prior to treatment and assay results were predictive of cisplatin response in five. Only one patient remains alive at 44+ months. Cisplatin chemotherapy prior to irradiation therapy is feasible and without substantial toxicity but is unlikely to be of benefit in patients with advanced cervical cancer.