Patterns of lymph node metastasis in carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Identification of lymph node metastasis may guide surgical therapy. The aim of this study was to clarify the lymphatic spread in ampullary carcinoma in relation to local tumor extent (pT category in the pTNM classification). METHODOLOGY: The distribution and number of lymph node metastases were histologically examined in 35 patients with ampullary carcinoma. RESULTS: Lymph node metastases were present in 10 of 15 patients (67%) with pT2 tumor and in 10 of 11 (91%) with pT3 tumor. Nodal involvement was not identified in 9 patients with pT1 tumor. The incidence of node-positive patients was higher in pT2 and pT3 tumors than in pT1 tumors (P < 0.01). The total number of positive nodes per node-positive patient was greater in pT3 tumors than in pT2 tumors (mean 3.50 vs. 1.30, P < 0.001). All node-positive patients had metastasis to the posterior pancreaticoduodenal node. The number of positive nodes per node-positive patient in both the posterior pancreaticoduodenal and the superior mesenteric region was greater in pT3 tumors than in pT2 tumors (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: With increasing pT category in ampullary carcinoma, lymphatic spread extended from the posterior pancreaticoduodenal region to the superior mesenteric nodes.     

Multivariate prognostic study on node-positive gastric cancer: is tumor size a prognostic indicator?

Background/Aims: We analyzed the clinicopathological factors of patients with node-positive gastric cancer, evaluated the prognostic factors associated with long-term survival and clarified the effect of tumor size on long-term survival. Methodology: The study included 591 patients who underwent curative resection for node-positive gastric cancer. Clinicopathological prognostic variables were evaluated as predictors of long-term survival by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: The 5-year survival rate was influenced by tumor size, tumor location, depth on invasion, level of lymph node metastasis, Borrmann classification, histological type, liver metastasis, peritoneal dissemination and disease stage. Of these, independent prognostic factors were depth on invasion and lymph node metastasis. Tumor size is an influence but not independent factor for the prediction of long-term survival in patients with node-positive gastric cancer. Conclusions: In patients with node-positive gastric cancer, two independent prognostic factors were depth on invasion and the status of lymph node metastasis.     

Palliative gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although palliative gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer may be favorable in selected patients presenting with bleeding and obstruction, little has been reported about the clinical significance of palliative gastrectomy, including prognosis. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective comparison between 84 patients with palliative gastrectomy (PG group) and 100 patients with unresectable operation (UO group) for advanced gastric cancer was carried out. RESULTS: The incidence of serosal invasion, peritoneal dissemination, hepatic and lymph node metastases, and undifferentiated tissue type in the UO group were significantly higher than in the PG group. Median survival after operation in the PG group (20.6 months) was significantly longer than in the UO group (5.7 months). Also, in stage IVb patients, median survival time in the PG group (10.2 months) was significantly longer than in the UO group (5.0 months). However, median survival in the patients with synchronous liver metastasis between PG (8.4 months) and UO (4.6 months) groups was not significantly different. Survival rates after operation of 6 months, 1 year and 2 years in all patients between the palliative gastrectomy group versus UO group were 83.6% versus 38.3% (P < 0.01), 63.0% versus 9.3% (P < 0.01) and 35.2% versus 0% (P < 0.01), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Palliative gastrectomy compared to unresectable operation may be effective for improvement of prognosis even if stage IVb patients with peritoneal dissemination and/or distant lymph node metastasis. However, it may be unfavorable on survival of patients with synchronous liver metastasis.     

Correlation of tumor-positive ratio and number of perigastric lymph nodes with prognosis of patients with surgically-removed gastric carcinoma

AIM: To evaluate the tumor-positive ratio and number of perigastric lymph nodes as prognostic factors of gastric carcinoma in surgically-treated patients. METHODS: The postoperative survival of 169 patients with gastric cancer who were performed D2 curative gastrectomy was analyzed with regard to its lymph node metastasis ratio and number. Meanwhile correlation of tumor-positive ratio and number of perigastric lymph nodes with pathological parameters of these patients was studied. RESULTS: The overall 5-year survival rate of all the patients studied was 29.6%. The 5-year cumulative survival rate in patients with 1%-20% and more than 20% of tumor-positive lymph nodes was 70.6% and 12.0% respectively, and 46.6% and 17.4% in those with 1-5 and more than 5 of tumor-positive lymph nodes respectively, which were significantly decreased with the increment of involved lymph nodes assessed by either numbers or ratio (P<0.05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that both the positive ratio and number of tumor-involved lymph nodes were sensitive prognostic factors in these surgically-treated patients, which were also significantly correlated with tumor size and depth of submucosal invasion (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Tumor-positive ratio and number of perigastric lymph nodes are associated with cancer progression and five-year survival rate, and may serve as valuable prognostic factors of gastric cancer in surgically-treated patients.     

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C and chemokine receptor CCR7 in gastric carcinoma and their values in predicting lymph node metastasis

AIM: To study the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) and chemokine receptor CCR7 in gastric carcinoma and to investigate their associations with lymph node metastasis of gastric carcinoma and their values in predicting lymph node metastasis. METHODS: The expression of VEGF-C and CCR7 in gastric carcinoma tissues obtained from 118 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy was examined by immunohistochemistry. Among these patients, 39 patients underwent multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) examination. RESULTS: VEGF-C and CCR7 were positively expressed in 52.5 and 53.4% of patients. VEGF-C expression was more frequently found in tumors with lymph node metastasis than those without it (P<0.001). VEGF-C expression was also closely related to lymphatic invasion (P<0.001), vascular invasion (P<0.01), and TNM stage (P<0.001). However, there was no significant correlation between VEGF-C expression and age at surgery, gender, tumor size, tumor location, Lauren classification, and depth of invasion. CCR7 expression was significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastasis compared with those without lymph node metastasis (P<0.001) and was also associated with tumor size (P<0.01), depth of invasion (P<0.001), lymphatic invasion (P<0.001), and TNM stage (P<0.001). However, the presence of CCR7 had no correlation to age at surgery, gender, tumor location, Lauren classification, and vascular invasion. Among the 39 patients who underwent MSCT examination, only CCR7 expression was related to lymph node metastasis determined by MSCT (P<0.05). In the current retrospective study, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of VEGF-C and CCR7 expression in the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis for patients with gastric carcinoma were 73.8%, 70.2%, 72.6%, 71.4% and 72.0%, and 82.0%, 77.2%, 79.4%, 80.0% and 79.7%, respectively. After subdivision according to the combination of VEGF-C and CCR7 expression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the accuracy of the combined examination of VEGF-C and CCR7 expression in predicting lymph node metastasis was relatively high (area under ROC curve [Az]=0.83). CONCLUSION: The expression of VEGF-C and CCR7 is related to lymph node metastasis of gastric carcinoma and both of them may become new targets for the treatment of gastric carcinoma. Furthermore, the combined examination of VEGF-C and CCR7 expression in endoscopic biopsy specimens may be useful in predicting lymph node metastasis of gastric carcinoma and deciding the extent of surgical lymph node resection.     

Postoperative morbidity/mortality and survival rates after total gastrectomy, with splenectomy/pancreaticosplenectomy for patients with advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Indications for splenectomy in patients with proximal and middle gastric cancer remain controversial. We investigated characteristic findings in patients with lymph node metastasis to the splenic hilus and the indication of splenectomy with total gastectomy for T2 and T3 advanced gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: Two hundred and forty-one Japanese patients underwent curative operations for T2 and T3 advanced gastric cancer. RESULTS: The mortality rates were similar, but the morbidity rate for patients who underwent pancreaticosplenectomy was higher than for patients who underwent either total gastrectomy alone or with splenectomy (p<0.007). The rates in cases of lymph node metastasis at the depth of tumor invasion within the subserosa and serosa (T3) were 1.7% and 17.5%, respectively (p<0.003). Lymph node metastasis to the splenic hilus was also evident in patients with T3 or T2 advanced gastric cancer with multiple lymph nodes metastasis (more than 7 nodes). The 10-year survival rates for patients who underwent total gastrectomy alone, with splenectomy, and with pancreaticosplenectomy in T3 advanced gastric cancers were 25%, 42% and 32%, respectively (p=0.184). CONCLUSIONS: Based on these data, the addition of distal pancreaticosplenectomy to total gastrectomy in patients with T2 and T3 advanced gastric cancer increased the risk of complications. Nevertheless, we recommend that total gastrectomy with splenectomy should be done for patients with T3 advanced gastric cancers [and T2 advanced gastric cancer with multiple lymph nodes metastasis (more than 7 nodes)], recognizing the lymph node metastasis to the splenic hilus.     

Prognosis of gastric cancer patients with node-negative metastasis following curative resection: outcomes of the survival and recurrence

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to provide valuable prognostic information on lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients following curative resection. METHODS: Data from 112 lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients who underwent curative resection were reviewed to identify the independent factors of overall survival and recurrence. RESULTS: The five-year survival rate of lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients was 85.7%, and recurrence was identified in 25 patients after curative surgery. The five-year survival rate of lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients was higher than that of lymph node-positive gastric cancer patients (P<0.001). Recurrence in lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients was less than that of lymph node-positive gastric cancer patients (P=0.001). The median survival after recurrence of lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients was longer than that of lymph node-positive gastric cancer patients (P=0.021). Using multivariate analyses, the following results were determined for lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients: sex, operative type and the presence of serosal involvement were independent factors of overall survival; and lymphadenectomy, number of dissected nodes and the presence of serosal involvement were independent factors of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients was better than that of lymph node-positive gastric cancer patients. Male sex, subtotal gastrectomy and nonserosal involvement should be considered to be the favourable predictors of postoperative long-term survival of lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients. Conversely, limited lymphadenectomy, few dissected nodes and serosal involvement should be considered to be risk factors of postoperative recurrence of lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients.     

Dissection of No. 13 lymph node in radical gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma

AIM： To evaluate the feasibility and safety of No. 13 lymphadenectomy in radical gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma. METHODS： Medical records of the patients undergone No. 13 lymph node dissection during D2 gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma, were reviewed from March 2003 to May 2007. RESULTS： One hundred and fifty-eight patients underwent No. 13 lymph node dissection for D2 gastric carcinoma, of them, 4 （2.53%） were found to have metastasis in No. 13 lymph node. Metastasis to No. 12 lymph node was detected in 6 patients and 4 of them had positive No. 13 lymph node. The operative morbidity except for wound infection was 15.19% （24/158）, and hospital death rate was 1.27% （2/158）. No obstructive jaundice caused by No. 13 lymph node metastasis after No. 13 lymph node dissection in radical gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma was detected during the follow-up study to end of January 2007. CONCLUSION： Dissection of No. 13 lymph node in D2 gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma is safe with a low morbidity and mortality rate. Further study is needed to explore its long-term effect.     

Prediction of survival period for patients with postoperative recurrence after curative resection for advanced gastric carcinoma

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although many studies have attempted to clarify the prognostic indicators for gastric carcinoma, there have been few studies regarding the factors that correlate with the survival period of patients with postoperative recurrence. METHODOLOGY: Among 504 advanced gastric adenocarcinoma patients who had undergone curative gastrectomy, 188 patients who had died of recurrence were used in this study. RESULTS: Univariate analysis indicated that age, the presence of lymph node metastasis and blood vessel invasion, the number of positive lymph nodes, and gastrectomy significantly correlated with the survival period. Multivariate analysis indicated that the length of the survival period was independently influenced by the number of positive lymph nodes and blood vessel invasion. The survival time of patients with less than 3 positive lymph nodes and no accompanying blood vessel invasion was significantly longer than that of other patients. CONCLUSIONS: The number of positive lymph nodes and the presence of blood vessel invasion are the most important factors predicting the survival period of patients with postoperative recurrence after curative resection for advanced gastric carcinoma.     

胃癌CT征象与癌组织中COX-2与p53的测定

[目的]探讨胃癌CT征象与胃癌组织中COX-2与p53表达之间的关系.[方法]48例胃癌患者术前行上腹部多层CT常规与增强扫描,记录CT观察指征,观察每个病灶的浆膜侵犯与淋巴结转移等情况.应用免疫组织化学SP法检测术后胃癌组织与正常胃黏膜中COX-2与p53的表达情况,并分析胃癌多层CT征象与COX-2、p53在胃癌组织中表达之间的关系.[结果]胃癌组织中COX-2与p53的阳性表达率高于正常胃黏膜组织（P＜o.01）,胃癌CT征象上肿瘤的浆膜侵犯与COX-2、p53表达有关（P＜0.05）,淋巴结转移与COX-2、p53表达有关（P＜0.01）,胃癌组织中COX-2与p53表达有相关性（P＜0.05）.[结论]胃癌组织中COX-2与p53的高表达与胃癌CT征象上的浆膜浸润与淋巴结转移有关,CT征象可以在一定程度上反映COX-2与p53的表达,胃癌组织中COX-2与p53表达具有一致性,两者在胃癌的发展中具有协同作用.     

Lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer: a clinicopathological analysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic mucosal resection and laparoscopic wedge resection have become more common in the treatment of early gastric cancer. However, lymph node metastasis is a major poor prognostic factor influencing tumor recurrence and survival. To predict the risk of lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer, the authors conducted a study to investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics of early gastric cancer with lymph node metastasis. METHODOLOGY: From 1982 to 1998, 181 patients of early gastric cancer underwent primary surgery and were included in the study. Patient data was postoperatively reviewed regarding age, gender, tumor size, depth of invasion, histologic differentiation, macroscopic classification and anatomic level of lymph node metastasis. The chi 2 test or Student's t test was used for statistical analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis. RESULTS: Lymph node metastasis was observed in 19 cases (11%). Early gastric cancer with size larger than 4 cm (P < 0.05), with submucosal invasion (P < 0.01), and with poor differentiation (P < 0.05) was associated with higher risk of lymph node metastasis. The macroscopic classification had no predictive value. Multivariate analysis showed that submucosal invasion correlated best with lymph node spread (OR 10.25, 95% CI: 2.10-49.96), followed by tumor size larger than 4 cm (OR 4.99, 95% CI: 1.46-17.05), and poorly differentiated histological subtype (OR 3.31, 95% CI: 1.16-9.45). CONCLUSIONS: Poor differentiation, submucosal invasion and large tumor size were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer. Macroscopic classification was not correlated with lymph node metastasis.     

Risk factors for lymph node metastasis and evaluation of reasonable surgery for early gastric cancer

AIM: To give the evidence for rationalizing surgical therapy for early gastric cancer with different lymph node status. METHODS: A series of 322 early gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy with more than 15 lymph nodes retrieved were reviewed in this study. The rate of lymph node metastasis was calculated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the independent factors for predicting lymph node metastasis. RESULTS: No metastasis was detected in No.5, 6 lymph nodes (LN) during proximal gastric cancer total gastrectomy, and in No.10, 11p, 11d during for combined resection of spleen and splenic artery and in No.15 LN during combined resection of transverse colon mesentery. No.11p, 12a, 14v LN were proved negative for metastasis. The global metastastic rate was 14.6% for LN, 5.9% for mucosa, and 22.4% for submucosa carcinoma, respectively. The metastasis in group Ⅱ?was almost limited in No.7, 8a LN. Multivariate analysis identified that the depth of invasion, histological type and lymphatic invasion were independent risk factors for LN metastasis. No metastasis from distal cancer (≤ 1.0 cm in diameter) was detected in group Ⅱ?LN. The metastasis rate increased significantly when the diameter exceeded 3.0 cm. All tumors (≤ 1.0 cm in diameter) with LN metastasis and mucosa invasion showed a depressed macroscopic type, and all protruded carcinomas were > 3.0 cm in diameter. CONCLUSION: Segmental/subtotal gastrectomy plus D1/D1 No.7 should be performed for carcinoma (≤ 1.0 cm in diameter, protruded type and mucosa invasion).Subtotal gastrectomy plus D2 or D1 No.7, 8a, 9 is the most rational operation, whereas No.11p, 12a, 14v lymphadenectomy should not be recommended routinely for poorly differentiated and depressed type of submucosa carcinoma (> 3.0 cm in diameter). Total gastrectomy should not be performed in proximal, so does combined resection or D2 /D3 lymphadenectomy.     

Procedure for lymph node dissection around splenic artery in proximal gastric cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The effect of lymph node metastasis around the splenic artery on the prognosis of proximal gastric cancer patients is not confirmed. The aim of this study is to clarify the optimal procedure for lymph node dissection along the splenic artery in proximal gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: Proximal gastric cancer patients who underwent total gastrectomy with pancreaticosplenectomy were examined. The anatomical location of lymph nodes and the metastases around the pancreas were also studied in pancreatic cancer patients who underwent total pancreatectomy. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis of lymph node metastasis around the splenic artery showed that No. 11 lymph node metastasis was affected by No.10 lymph node that was predicted by depth of invasion. Multivariate analysis of prognostic variables by Cox's proportional hazard regression revealed that No. 10 lymph node metastasis was the significant factor affecting prognosis. No lymph node metastasis infiltrating the pancreatic parenchyma was observed in the pancreatic body or the tail. CONCLUSIONS: Total gastrectomy preserving the pancreas and spleen is the optimal procedure in proximal T2 gastric cancer. Total gastrectomy with splenectomy is appropriate in T3 cases, and distal pancreatectomy should be additionally done only in cases of direct invasion by the lymph node and/or the tumor to the pancreas.     

Recurrence in early gastric cancer--presence of micrometastasis in lymph node of node negative early gastric cancer patient with recurrence

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There are cases of recurrence even after curative resection in early gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: Seven hundred and sixty-five patients with early gastric cancer who underwent curative gastrectomy were analyzed to identify the prognostic factor. Micrometastases within lymph nodes were determined by immunohistochemistry using anti-cytokeratin antibody in node-negative early gastric cancer patients with recurrence. RESULTS: The recurrence was observed in 17 patients. Hematogenous recurrence was observed most frequently (47.1%), followed by peritoneal recurrence (23.5%). Of 17 patients with recurrence, 6 (35.3%) patients died more than 5 years after operation. The prognosis was poorer when the patients were older, and the depth of invasion was greater, lymph node metastasis, lymphatic involvement, and vascular involvement were present, and lymph node dissection was limited. The independent prognostic factors were lymph node metastasis, lymph node dissection, and age by multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards. Micrometastases within lymph nodes were confirmed in 3 of 6 node-negative patients with recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: When patients have lymph node metastases or are older, close and long-term follow-up and careful planning of postoperative adjuvant therapy might be necessary to avoid recurrence. The detection of micrometastases by anti-cytokeratin antibody might be useful for predicting the possibility of recurrence in early gastric cancer.     

Lymph node metastasis as a single predictor in patients with Borrmann type I gastric cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Borrmann type I gastric cancers are rare. Its clinicopathological features have never been reported. METHODOLOGY: A total of 33 patients with Borrmann type I gastric cancer was evaluated. 570 patients with Borrmann type II, III and IV were used as references. RESULTS: Borrmann type I gastric cancer occurred preferably in upper stomach, and had more T1 and T2 cancer invasion and early TNM stages, but less lymph node metastasis. Histologically, it had more intestinal type and less scirrhous stromal reaction. Five-year disease-free and overall survival rates in patients with Borrmann type I tumors were significantly higher than that of other types (73.3% vs. 45.8%; P = 0.02, and 72.6% vs. 47.8%; P = 0.01, respectively). Analysis of the relation between clinicopathological factors and survival showed that only lymph node metastasis significantly affected on disease-free survival with a relative risk of 8.4. Lymph node metastasis also affected overall survival rate at a marginal level (p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Borrmann type I gastric cancer has higher survival rate. Lymph node metastasis is a single prognostic indicator for survival.     

Esophageal cancer with distant lymph node metastasis: prognostic significance of metastatic lymph node ratio

The cervical and celiac lymph node metastases are defined as distant metastasis (Mlym) from thoracic esophageal carcinoma by TNM (primary tumor, regional lymph nodes, and distant metastasis) classification. The prognostic factors, however, of such distant node metastases are not fully understood. Of 85 patients with node-positive thoracic esophageal carcinoma who were treated with the same modalities of treatment, 31 (37%) had Mlym. Prognostic factors for long-term survival were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyzes. Three patients are alive and free of cancer, and two patients survived over 5 years. Fifteen patients died of recurrent esophageal cancer and 11 patients succumbed to causes unrelated to esophageal cancer. Two patients with a single Mlym died without recurrence of esophageal cancer at 1.4 years and after more than 5 years, respectively. The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of all 31 patients were 64.5%, 24.8%, 17.0%, and 12.8%, respectively. The factors influencing survival rate were depth of invasion (pT1,2 vs. pT3,4) and metastatic lymph node ratio (< or =0.104 vs. > or =0.105). The survival rates were not influenced by number of lymph node metastasis, number of Mlym, or by metastatic lymph node ratio of Mlym. Among those two significant variables verified by univariate analysis, independent prognostic factor for survival determined by multivariate analysis was the metastatic lymph node ratio (risk ratio = 3.4, p = 0.0345). The results of this study indicate that a significant number of patients can be cured of esophageal carcinoma by extensive resection along with extended lymph node dissection even when the disease metastasizes to distant nodes.     

Clinical implication of FDG uptake of bone marrow on PET/CT in gastric cancer patients with surgical resection

AIM To determine the relationship between F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose(FDG) uptake of bone marrow(BM) on positron emission tomography/computed tomography(PET/CT) and clinical factors and to assess the prognostic value of FDG uptake of BM in gastric carcinoma.METHODS We retrospectively enrolled 309 gastric cancer patients who underwent staging FDG PET/CT and curative surgical resection. FDG uptake of primary tumor was visually classified as positive or negative FDG uptake. Mean FDG uptake of BM(BM SUV) and BM-to-liver uptake ratio(BLR) were measured. The relationships of BM SUV or BLR with clinical factors were evaluated. The prognostic values of BM SUV, BLR, and other clinical factors for predicting recurrence-free survival(RFS) and overall survival(OS) were assessed.RESULTS Of 309 patients, 38 patients(12.3%) experienced cancer recurrence and 18 patients(5.8%) died. Patients with advanced gastric cancer, positive FDG uptake, and recurrence had higher values of BM SUV and BLR than those with early gastric cancer, negative FDG uptake, and no recurrence(P 0.05). BM SUV and BLR were significantly correlated with hemoglobin level, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and platelet-tolymphocyte ratio(P 0.05). On multivariate analysis, multiple tumors, T stage, lymph node metastasis, tumor involvement of resection margin, and BLR were significantly associated with RFS(P 0.05). T stage, lymph node metastasis, hemoglobin level, and BLR were significantly associated with OS(P 0.05). CONCLUSION BLR on PET/CT was an independent prognostic factor for RFS and OS in gastric cancer patients with curative surgical resection.