Superior Mediastinal Nodes Research Articles

OGC P53 Recurrent oesophageal cancer involving complex gastro-pleural fistula: a rare case report on the role of palliative endoscopic stenting

Abstract Background Oesophageal cancer ranks as the 14th most common cancer in the United Kingdom and has witnessed improved survival rates due to advancements in treatment. However, despite initial treatment with curative intent, there is a risk of recurrence associated with poor prognosis. Recurrent oesophageal cancer is typically detected at an advanced stage with predominantly palliative treatment options. In rare cases, a cancer-related fistula can develop between the respiratory system and the oesophagus. This complication poses a risk of sepsis with diminished quality of life; therefore, prompt management of such fistulas with consideration of palliative endoscopic stenting is essential. Methods We present a case of a patient with a gastro-pleural fistula due to recurrent oesophageal cancer following initial treatment in 2016. She received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy which down-staged the tumour from pT3 to ypT2, followed by Ivor-Lewis oesophagectomy for a mid-oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma with complete resection margin. Metastatic disease was detected in the right superior mediastinal node in 2018, which was treated by radical chemoradiotherapy. In 2022, further recurrence was detected in a fistulating mass involving the gastric conduit, right posterior chest, pleura and overlying soft tissue. The multidisciplinary team recommended palliative chemotherapy and endoscopic stenting of the fistula. Results Endoscopic stenting is a palliative adjunct in advanced oesophageal cancer to alleviate dysphagia and allow oral nutrition. In this patient, we describe a novel approach of double stenting using the Ovesco Stenfix system, performed by an oesophago-gastric surgeon. Two stents were deployed in a ‘piggyback’ technique to completely occlude the fistula site and secured using Ovesco clips, hence maintaining a single conduit to pass food and fluid through the gastrointestinal tract. Stent placement was confirmed to be satisfactory with fluoroscopy. The patient was admitted 48 hours post-procedure and discharged without intra-procedural complications once oral intake was resumed. Conclusions Despite advances in the treatment of potentially curable oesophageal cancer, recurrence of the disease still occurs with devastating sequelae. As observed in our patient, recurrence in the form of complex fistulating mass is infrequent and associated with significant morbidity. Endoscopic palliative stenting was a safe option with good technical success.

Prognostic impact of lymph node spreading pattern in N2 NSCLC patients

ABSTRACT Background One-third of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are diagnosed with locally advanced disease. Long-term survival in stage IIIA/B-N2 remains poor; this may also be due to lymph node spreading pattern. Therefore, we compared the overall survival of stage IIIA/B-N2 patients with superior mediastinal lymph nodes (SML) with infracarinal- or inferior mediastinal lymph nodes (IML) and with multilevel disease (MLD). Research design and methods One-, three-and five-year survival rates were measured. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards model assessed survival and were used to identify prognostic factors. Results We reviewed data of stage IIIA/B-N2 patients (n = 129) who underwent surgery for NSCLC between 2012 and 2020. Patients with SML (n = 62) were compared to ILM (n = 37) and MLD (n = 30). SML patients showed significantly better one- (SML: 95.2% vs. IML: 78.6% vs. MLD: 69.4%, p = 0.03), three- (78.8% vs. 27.7 vs. 13.3%; p = <0.001) and five-year (61.1% vs. 17.1 vs. 3%; p < 0.001) survival rates, than IML and MLD patients. Kaplan-Meier curves showed prolonged overall survival for SML patients (log-rank SML, ILM, MLD p < 0.0001). Conclusions This study showed significantly better long-term survival of SML patients than IML and MLD patients. The long-term survival of ILM and MLD patients was equally poor.

Pattern of relapse following three-field lymphadenectomy of esophageal carcinoma and related factors predictive of recurrence

PurposeFor treatment of esophageal carcinoma, the optimal postoperative radiotherapy target volume after three-field lymph node dissection (3-FLD) had not been determined. We analyzed local recurrence pattern of thoracic esophageal carcinoma and risk factors of lymph node recurrence after 3-FLD without prophylactic radiotherapy. Material and methodsWe reviewed 1282 patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who were treated with 3-FLD without radiotherapy from 2010 to 2018 and analysed local recurrence patterns and risk factors of lymph node recurrence, in order to provide a reference for determination of the radiotherapy target volume for thoracic ESCC. ResultsThe lymph node recurrence accounted for 91.0% of treatment failures. The mediastinal, cervical and abdominal lymph node recurrence accounted for 84.92%, 36.07% and 22.30%, respectively (χ2=264.776, P=0.000). The superior, middle and inferior mediastinal lymph node recurrence rates were 67.54%, 27.87% and 0.98%, respectively (χ2=313.600, P=0.000). Cervical metastases were significantly associated with N stage and Preoperative cervical lymph node status. Abdominal metastases were significantly associated with the number of preoperative abdominal lymph node metastases (LNM), tumor location and N stage. ConclusionsThe main pattern of local-regional recurrence might be lymph node metastasis after radical 3-FLD without radiotherapy in esophageal carcinoma. The dangerous lymph node recurrence regions included neck, superior and middle mediastinum. The abdominal areas might be irradiated for lower TEC patients with preoperative abdominal LNM.

Clinicopathological analysis of superior mediastinal lymph node metastases in medullary thyroid carcinoma

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of superior mediastinal lymph node metastases (sMLNM) in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Methods: This retrospective analysis enrolled the patients who were treated for sMLNM of MTC in our hospital from May 2012 to January 2021. All patients were suspected of sMLNM due to preoperative imaging. According to the pathological results, the patients were divided into two groups named sMLNM group and the negative superior-mediastinal-lymph-node group. We collected and analyzed the clinical features, pathological features, pre- and post-operative calcitonin (Ctn), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels of the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze risk factors, and receiver operation characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to determine the optimal cut-off values of preoperative Ctn and preoperative CEA for predicting sMLNM. Results: Among the 94 patients, 69 cases were in the sMLNM group and 25 cases were in the non-SMLNM group. Preoperative Ctn level (P=0.003), preoperative CEA level (P=0.010), distant metastasis (P=0.022), extracapsular lymph node invasion (P=0.013), the number of central lymph node metastases (P=0.002) were related to sMLNM, but the multivariate analysis did not find any independent risk factors. The optimal threshold for predicting sMLNM by pre-operative Ctn is 1500 pg/ml and AUC is 0.759 (95% CI: 0.646, 0.872). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of diagnosis are 61.2%, 77.3%, 89.1%, 39.5%, respectively. In patients who underwent mediastinal lymph node dissection through transsternal approach, the metastatic possibility of different levels from high to low were level 2R (82.3%, 28/34), level 2L (58.8%, 20/34), level 4R (58.8%, 20/34), level 3 (23.5%, 8/34), level 4L (11.8%, 4/34). Postoperative complications occurred in 41 cases (43.6%), and there was no perioperative death in all cases. 14.8% (12/81) of the patients achieved biochemical complete response (Ctn≤12 pg/ml) one month after surgery, 5 of these patients were in sMLNM group. Conclusions: For patients who have highly suspicious sMLNM through imaging, combining with preoperative Ctn diagnosis can improve the accuracy of diagnosis, especially for patients with preoperative Ctn over 1 500 pg/ml. The superior mediastinal lymph node dissection for the primary sternotomy should include at least the superior mediastinal levels 2-4 to avoid residual lesions. The strategy of surgery needs to be cautiously performed. Although the probability of biochemical cure in sMLNM cases is low, nearly 40% of patients can still benefit from the operation at the biochemical level.

Visualization of patterns of lymph node metastases in non–small cell lung cancer using network analysis

ObjectiveWe aimed to visualize complicated patterns of lymph node metastases in surgically resected non–small cell lung cancer by applying a data mining technique. MethodsIn this retrospective study, 783 patients underwent lobectomy or pneumonectomy with systematic mediastinal lymph node dissection for non–small cell lung cancer between January 2010 and December 2018. Surgically resected lymph nodes were classified according to the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer lymph node map. Network analysis generated patterns of lymph node metastases from stations 1 to 14, and the degree of connection between 2 lymph node stations was assessed. ResultsThe median number of lymph nodes examined per patient was 20, and the pathological N category was pN0 in 428 cases, pN1 in 132, pN2 in 221, and pN3 in 2. N1 lymph node stations had strong associations with superior mediastinal lymph node stations for patients with primary tumors in the upper lobes and with station 7 for the lower lobes. There was also a connection from the N1 lymph node stations to superior mediastinal lymph node stations in the lower lobes. In the right middle lobe, an even distribution from station 12m toward stations 2R, 4R, and 7 was noted. We released an interactive web application to visualize these data: http://www.canexapp.com. ConclusionsLymph node metastasis patterns differed according to the lobe bearing the tumor. Our results support the need for clinical trials to further investigate selective mediastinal lymph node dissection.

501. CONVERSATION WITH TISSUE IN UPPER MEDIASTINAL LYMPH NODE DISSECTION PROCEDURES FOR ESOPHAGEAL CANCER

Abstract Advances in the optical instrument for endoscopic surgery have enabled the anatomical recognition of minute membranes and layers previously invisible in open surgery. Those have allowed surgeons to take the benefits of conversing with the tissue. Furthermore, the recent introduction of robot-assisted surgery has made it possible to dissect with fidelity and safety according to the layers envisaged by the surgeon. Furthermore, we are increasingly having conversations with the tissues during the surgery. Especially in the upper mediastinal lymph node dissection in esophageal cancer surgery, recognizing the delicate anatomy of the membranes and layers is an important technique. We have performed more than 600 thoracoscopic esophageal cancer surgeries in the prone position and more than 100 robot-assisted esophageal cancer surgeries. In our experience, we have tried to formulate the en bloc superior mediastinal lymph node dissection by applying the concept of microanatomy such as a visceral sheath, vascular sheath, and the meso-esophagus surrounded by a visceral sheath. We have established a technique to detach the visceral sheath from the surrounding organs, release the trachea to reveal the meso-esophagus, and dissect the lymphatic chain in en-bloc while rescuing only the recurrent nerve. The spread of the visceral sheath is not symmetrical. On the left side, it is recognized as a firm membrane up to the aortic arch, but on the right side, it seems to disappear at the cervicothoracic border. This left-right difference is understandable considering the difference in the development of the primitive aortic arch on each side during fetal heart development. In this study, we report on the technique and outcomes of upper mediastinal lymph node dissection based on the concept of the microanatomy of membranes and layers, which was developed through conversations with tissues in thoracoscopic esophageal cancer surgery, and its application to robot-assisted surgery.

Postoperative Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Thoracic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Phase II Clinical Trial.

BackgroundThis study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) covering partial regional lymph node areas combined with chemotherapy for locally advanced thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients.MethodsThis was a single-center, single-arm phase II clinical trial that began in 2014. Patients who underwent radical transthoracic resection within 3 months and were histologically confirmed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (pT3-4 or N+, M0 determined according to AJCC Guidelines, Edition 7) were recruited. Postoperative radiotherapy was performed with a total dose of 50.4Gy in 28 fractions using IMRT. Clinical target volumes (CTVs) included tumor bed, anastomosis, bilateral supraclavicular region, and superior mediastinal lymph nodes. Synchronous chemotherapy for 2 cycles (paclitaxel 150mg/m2, day1; Cisplatin 25mg/m2, day1-3; every 4 weeks), followed by 2 cycles of consolidation chemotherapy with the same regimen. The primary endpoint was the 2-year local control rate, and the secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and adverse events (AEs).ResultsA total of 75 eligible patients were included from 2014 to 2017. The 2-year LRFS rate, as the primary endpoint, was 73.3%. The 1-year and 3-year OS rates were 88.0% and 68.0%, respectively. Local recurrence occurred in 13/75 (17.4%) patients, of which 2.7% (2/75) were extra-target lymph nodes. Grade 4 adverse events reported in this study included 10 cases (13.3%) of neutropenia, 1 case (1.3%) of anemia, and 2 cases (2.7%) of thrombocytopenia, without toxic-related deaths. Almost all (96%) patients completed the entire postoperative radiotherapy course, and 62 (82.7%) patients completed at least 2 cycles of chemotherapy.ConclusionPostoperative IMRT (clinical target volume including tumor bed, anastomosis, bilateral supraclavicular region, and superior mediastinal lymph nodes) combined with synchronous chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was well tolerated, with a high local control rate and a low probability of recurrence outside the irradiation field.Clinical Trial Registration https://clinicaltrials.gov/ChiCTR1900022689.

Multiple electrolyte disturbances as the presenting feature of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1).

SummaryA 49-year-old teacher presented to his general physician with lethargy and lower limb weakness. He had noticed polydipsia, polyuria, and had experienced weight loss, albeit with an increase in central adiposity. He had no concomitant illnesses and took no regular medications. He had hypercalcaemia (adjusted calcium: 3.34 mmol/L) with hyperparathyroidism (parathyroid hormone: 356 ng/L) and hypokalaemia (K: 2.7 mmol/L) and was admitted for i.v. potassium replacement. A contrast-enhanced CT chest/abdomen/pelvis scan revealed a well-encapsulated anterior mediastinal mass measuring 17 × 11 cm with central necrosis, compressing rather than invading adjacent structures. A neck ultrasound revealed a 2 cm right inferior parathyroid lesion. On review of CT imaging, the adrenals appeared normal, but a pancreatic lesion was noted adjacent to the uncinate process. His serum cortisol was 2612 nmol/L, and adrenocorticotrophic hormone was elevated at 67 ng/L, followed by inadequate cortisol suppression to 575 nmol/L from an overnight dexamethasone suppression test. His pituitary MRI was normal, with unremarkable remaining anterior pituitary biochemistry. His admission was further complicated by increased urine output to 10 L/24 h and despite three precipitating factors for the development of diabetes insipidus including hypercalcaemia, hypokalaemia, and hypercortisolaemia, due to academic interest, a water deprivation test was conducted. An 18flurodeoxyglucose-PET (FDG-PET) scan demonstrated high avidity of the mediastinal mass with additionally active bilateral superior mediastinal nodes. The pancreatic lesion was not FDG avid. On 68Ga DOTATE-PET scan, the mediastinal mass was moderately avid, and the 32 mm pancreatic uncinate process mass showed significant uptake. Genetic testing confirmed multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1.Learning pointsIn young patients presenting with primary hyperparathyroidism, clinicians should be alerted to the possibility of other underlying endocrinopathies.In patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) and ectopic adrenocorticotrophic hormone syndrome (EAS), clinicians should be alerted to the possibility of this originating from a neoplasm above or below the diaphragm.Although relatively rare compared with sporadic cases, thymic carcinoids secondary to MEN-1 may also be associated with EAS.Electrolyte derangement, in particular hypokalaemia and hypercalcaemia, can precipitate mild nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

P-OGC22 Incidence and relevance of clinically indeterminate non-regional lymph nodes in the treatment of oesophageal cancer

Abstract Background Metastatic involvement of non-regional supraclavicular or superior mediastinal lymph nodes in distal oesophageal cancer is rare, but has important implications for prognosis and management. The management of non-regional lymph nodes which appear indeterminate on CT and FDG PET-CT (subcentimetre nodes or those with preserved normal morphology, but increased FDG avidity) can present a diagnostic dilemma. This study investigates the incidence, work-up, and clinical significance of non-regional clinically indeterminate FDG avid lymph nodes. Methods A single centre retrospective review of all FDG PET-CT scans conducted over 5 years was conducted. Patients with mid- or distal oesophageal cancer with non-regional FDG avid nodes were identified. Subsequent work-up, management, and outcomes were retrieved from electronic health records. Results Reports for 1189 PET-CT scans were reviewed. A total of 79 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 18 (23%) were deemed to have disease and performance status potentially amenable to radical surgery, and underwent further assessment. The indeterminate lymph nodes were successfully sampled via endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) or ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (US-FNA) in 100% of cases. 15/18 (83.3%) of samples were benign and proceeded to surgery. Outcomes for patients who proceeded to surgery were similar to other cohorts. None had pathology suggesting false negative lymph node sampling. Conclusions EBUS and US-FNA are effective means of sampling clinically indeterminate non-regional lymph nodes, and can significantly impact prognosis, and management. Further investigations in this context are of value in this cohort and should be pursued.

LOBE-SPECIFIC METASTASIS IN NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER

Aim: to identify the pathways of lymph node metastases in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Material and Methods. The frequency of mediastinal lymph node metastases and treatment outcomes were analyzed in 327 patients with stage I–III non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), who underwent lung resection with systematic lymph node dissection (SLND) between 2007 and 2011.Results. In cases with tumor location in any lobe of the right lung, metastasis occurred in the superior and inferior mediastinal lymph nodes. In left-side tumors, the main pathways of lymphatic spread of tumors were superior and inferior mediastinal nodes as well as aortic lymph nodes. Left lower lobe tumors metastasized most often to inferior mediastinal lymph nodes. Skip metastases were observed at any location of the tumor. Routine examination of all ipsilateral mediastinal lymph nodes overstaged NSCLC in 19.5 % of cases. The overall 5-and 10-year survival rates in patients with stage I–III NSCLC with SND were 61.5 % and 49.2 %, respectively. The median survival time was 103 months.Conclusion. Despite typical metastatic patterns of mediastinal lymph nodes in patients with NSCLC, non-specific metastasis was observed at any location of the tumor, which required mandatory systematic nodal dissection.

Video mediastinoscopy-assisted superior mediastinal dissection in the treatment of thyroid carcinoma with mediastinal lymphadenopathy: preliminary results

BackgroundMediastinal lymph node metastases (MLNM) are not rare in thyroid cancer, but their treatment has not been extensively studied. This study aimed to explore the preliminary application of video mediastinoscopy-assisted superior mediastinal dissection in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid carcinoma with mediastinal lymphadenopathy.Materials and methodsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical pathologic data and short-term outcomes of thyroid cancer patients with suspicious MLNM treated with video mediastinoscopy-assisted mediastinal dissection at our institution from 2017 to 2020.ResultsNineteen patients were included: 14 with medullary thyroid carcinoma and five with papillary thyroid carcinoma. Superior mediastinal nodes were positive in nine (64.3%) patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma and in four (80.0%) patients with papillary carcinoma. No fatal bleeding occurred. There were three cases of temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy postoperatively, one of which was bilateral. Four patients had temporary hypocalcemia requiring supplementation, one had a chyle fistula, and one developed wound infection after the procedure. Postoperative serum molecular markers decreased in all patients. One patient died of cancer while the other 18 patients remained disease-free, with a median follow-up of 33 months.ConclusionVideo mediastinoscopy-assisted superior mediastinal dissection can be performed relatively safely in patients with suspicious MLNM. This diagnostic and therapeutic approach may help control locoregional recurrences.

Incidence and relevance of clinically indeterminate nonregional lymph nodes in the treatment of oesophageal cancer.

Metastatic involvement of nonregional supraclavicular or superior mediastinal lymph nodes in distal oesophageal cancer is rare but has important implications for prognosis and management. The management of nonregional lymph nodes which appear indeterminate on CT and FDG PET-CT (subcentimeter nodes or those with preserved normal morphology, but increased FDG avidity) can present a diagnostic dilemma. This study investigates the incidence, work-up and clinical significance of nonregional clinically indeterminate FDG avid lymph nodes. A single-centre retrospective review of all FDG PET-CT scans conducted over 5 years was conducted. Patients with mid- or distal oesophageal cancer with nonregional FDG avid nodes were identified. Subsequent work-up, management and outcomes were retrieved from electronic health records. Reports for 1189 PET-CT scans were reviewed. A total of 79 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 18 (23%) were deemed to have disease and performance status potentially amenable to radical surgery and underwent further assessment. The indeterminate lymph nodes were successfully sampled via endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) or ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (US-FNA) in 100% of cases. 15/18 (83.3%) of samples were benign and proceeded to surgery. Outcomes for patients who proceeded to surgery were similar to other cohorts. None had pathology suggesting false-negative lymph node sampling. EBUS and US-FNA are effective means of sampling clinically indeterminate nonregional lymph nodes, and can significantly impact prognosis, and management. Further investigations in this context are of value in this cohort and should be pursued. Nonregional clinically indeterminate lymph nodes represent a diagnostic dilemma in oesophageal cancer staging. Additional investigations in the form of endobronchial ultrasound are effective at providing additional staging information, and can substantially influence patient care.

Improving Outcome of Superior Mediastinal Lymph Node Dissection During Esophagectomy: A Novel Approach Combining Continuous and Intermittent Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Monitoring.

This study aimed at demonstrating the effects and learning curve of utilizing combined intermittent and continuous recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) monitoring for lymphadenectomy during esophagectomy. RLN lymphadenectomy is oncologically important but is technically demanding. Vocal cord (VC) palsy as a result from RLN injury, carries significant morbidities. This is a retrospective study of consecutive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients who underwent transthoracic esophagectomy from 2010 to 2020. Combined nerve monitoring (CNM) included: CNM which involved a periodic stimulating left vagal electrode and intermittent nerve monitoring which utilized a stimulating probe to identify the RLNs. The integrity of the RLNs was assessed both intermittently and continuously. This technique was introduced in 2014. Patients were divided into "before CNM" and "CNM" groups. The primary outcome was the difference in number of RLN lymph nodes harvested and VC palsy rate. Learning curves were demonstrated by cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis. Two hundred and fifty-five patients were included with 157 patients in "CNM" group. The mean number of RLN lymph nodes harvested was significantly higher (4.31 vs 0.45, P < 0.0001) for the "CNM" group. VC palsy rates were significantly lower (17.8% vs 32.7%, P = 0.007). There was an initial increase in VC palsy rate, peaked at around 46 cases. The increase in lymph nodes harvested above the mean plateaued at around 96 cases. CNM helped improve bilateral RLN lymphadenectomy. Lymph node harvesting was increased with reduction of VC palsy after a learning curve.

Two cases of left recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis after right superior mediastinal node dissection

BackgroundIpsilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis is one of the rare complications during the superior mediastinal node dissection for lung cancer. However, very few reports of contralateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis during the procedure are available.Case presentationTwo women aged 74 and 80 years developed hoarseness after undergoing right upper lobectomy and right superior mediastinal node dissection for primary lung cancer. Postoperative laryngoscopy in the two patients confirmed left vocal cord paralysis.ConclusionNode dissection is performed in the standard procedure for right upper lobe lung cancer. At this time, care must be taken not to cause damage not only to the recurrent laryngeal nerve on the ipsilateral side but also to the recurrent laryngeal nerve on the contralateral side.

Accessory Pulmonary Vein Posterior to the Bronchus Intermedius Encountered During Mediastinoscopy

The patient was a 63-year-old, lifelong nonsmoker, Haitian man who complained for several months of early satiety and occasional epigastric pain. The patient had lost 35 pounds over the last three months. The patient's appetite was significantly diminished. He was referred for mediastinal and bilateral hilar adenopathy detected on CT scan. He then had a PET-CT which demonstrated numerous prominent PET-avid paratracheal, precarinal, subcarinal, aorta-pulmonary window, superior mediastinal and retroperitoneal lymph nodes.

Pattern of Recurrence in 428 Patients With Thoracic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Radical Surgery and Its Implication in Postoperative Radiotherapeutic Clinical Target Volume.

PurposeThis study aimed to analyze the recurrence patterns of thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after radical surgery, and to understand its implication in the clinical target volume (CTV) design of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in patients with ESCC.Methods and materialsA total of 428 recurrent ESCC patients after radical surgery between 2014 and 2018 were included in this study. Recurrence patterns, especially anastomotic and regional lymph node recurrence (LNR), were analyzed. A T-shaped CTV were proposed for PORT and were evaluated whether it could cover most of regional LNR.ResultsThese patients all experienced anastomotic and/or regional LNR. Among the 428 patients, 27 cases (6.3%) had anastomotic recurrence only, and184 cases (43.0%) had LNR only. Those sites with an LNR rate higher than 15% in upper thoracic ESCC were as follows: No.101, No.104R, No.104L, No.106recR, No.106recL, No.106pre, No.106tb, No.107, and No. 109. Those with middle thoracic ESCC were as follows: No.104R, No.104L, 106recR, No.106recL, No.106pre, No.106tb, and No.107. Lastly, individuals with lower thoracic ESCC were as follows: No.104L, 106recR, No.106recL, No. 106pre, No. 106tb, No.107, and abdominal No. 3. The proportion of LNR not included in the proposed T-shaped CTV was 12.5% (1/8), 4.7% (6/128), and 10.4% (5/48) in the upper, middle, and lower thoracic segments, respectively.ConclusionsLNR was the most common type of local-regional recurrence in patients after radical surgery. Supraclavicular, superior and middle mediastinal lymph nodes had the highest recurrence rate, the rate of LNR which was outside T-shaped PORT CTV we proposed was less than 15%.

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

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

Lymph node dissection around left recurrent laryngeal nerve: robot-assisted vs. video-assisted McKeown esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

ObjectiveThis study investigated the advantages of robot-assisted McKeown esophagectomy (RAME) for extensive superior mediastinal lymph node dissection (LND) versus video-assisted McKeown esophagectomy (VAME).MethodsThe cases of 184 consecutive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients who underwent minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (109 with RAME, 75 with VAME) performed by a single surgical group between June 2017 and December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed.ResultsOverall, 59.8% (110/181) patients (70 treated with RAME, 40 treated with VAME; 64.2% vs. 53.3%, respectively, p = 0.139) underwent complete LND around the left recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) by pathological assessment. Cumulative sum plots showed increased numbers of LND around the left RLN (3.6 ± 2.0 vs. 5.4 ± 2.7, p = 0.008) and a decreased incidence of recurrent nerve injury (27.9% vs. 7.4%, p = 0.037) after RAME learning curve. Despite similar overall LND results (30.6 ± 10.2 vs. 28.1 ± 10.2, p > 0.05), RAME yielded more LND (5.4 ± 2.7 vs. 4.4 ± 2.2, p = 0.016) and a greater proportion of lymph node metastases (37.0% vs. 7.5%) around the left RLN but induced a lower proportion of recurrent nerve injuries (7.4% vs. 22.5%, p = 0.178) compared with VAME. Further analysis revealed that the complete LND around the left RLN was associated with recurrent nerve injury in the RAME (20.0% vs. 5.1%, p = 0.035) and VAME (22.5% vs. 5.7%, p = 0.041) groups but did not affect other clinical outcomes including surgical duration, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative intensive care unit stay, hospital stay, and other complications.ConclusionsFor patients with ESCC, RAME has great advantages in LND around the left RLN and recurrent nerve protection after learning curve of robotic esophagectomy.

Correlation between clinicopathological parameters of lung adenocarcinoma and lymph node metastasis

Abstract Objective The aim of the study was to study the correlation between the clinicopathological parameters of lung adenocarcinoma and lymph node metastasis and identify the risk factors of lymph node metastasis. Methods The data of 258 patients with postoperative lung adenocarcinoma (mainly based on their pathological data) were collected and analyzed, and their basic information was counted. Results Maximum tumor diameter was found to be an independent risk factor for lymph node metastasis. The larger the maximum diameter of the tumor in patients with lung adenocarcinoma, the higher the likelihood of lymph node metastasis. Solid predominant adenocarcinoma with mucin production is as an independent risk factor for superior mediastinal and subcarinal lymph node metastasis. Primary adenocarcinomas in the lower lobe of the lung may have a higher rate of lymph node metastasis than those in the upper lobe. Conclusion The known pathological subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma can be used for the prediction of lymph node metastasis in various regions and guide the dissection of lymph nodes that would improve patients' prognosis.

Influence of Induction Therapy on Robot-Assisted McKeown Esophagectomy for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background: The present study was to investigate the influence of induction therapy on robot-assisted McKeown esophagectomy (RAME) with radical superior mediastinal lymph node dissection for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in a high-volume cancer center. Methods: A consecutive patient cohort who underwent RAME from January 2017 to May 2019 were reviewed. The perioperative outcomes of patients with induction therapy were compared with those who had surgery alone. Results: In total, 118 patients underwent RAME during the study period. The average age was 59.1 ± 7.5 years, including 100 male and 18 female patients. Thirty patients (25.4%) had induction therapy, and 88 patients did not receive induction therapy. The average age of the patients treated with induction therapy was younger than those received surgery alone (56.8 ± 6.1 vs. 59.5 ± 7.6 years, p = 0.039). There were no statistically significant differences in the mean operative time and estimated blood loss between both groups. Complications occurred in 46 (39.0%) patients. There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of any complications between both groups (p = 0.951). There were no deaths in either group. The hospital stay was prolonged in patients with induction therapy than those in the surgery-alone group (20.8 ± 8.9 vs. 16.8 ± 6.0, p = 0.048). There was no statistically significant difference in the average number of dissected lymph nodes in total and both recurrent laryngeal nerve stations between both groups. Conclusion: For patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, induction therapy has no influence on RAME with radical superior mediastinal lymph node dissection.