Role of radiotherapy in the treatment of cervical lymph node metastases from an unknown primary site: retrospective analysis of 113 patients

PURPOSE: The management of patients with cervical lymph-node metastases from unknown primary site (UPS) remains a matter of discussion. This study aimed to analyze the results and prognostic factors in a series of patients treated with radiotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Data from 113 patients who presented with cervical lymph nodes metastases from UPS treated from 1980 to 2004 were reviewed. Eighty-seven patients (77.0%) were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Ninety-one patients were treated with curative and 22 with palliative intent. Fifty-nine of 113 patients (52.2%) received surgery followed by radiotherapy and 54 of 113 (47.8%) received radiotherapy alone. Radiotherapy was delivered to the neck and pharyngeal mucosa in 67 patients and to the ipsilateral or bilateral neck in 45 patients. Twenty-one patients (18.5%) also received chemotherapy. RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival rates were 40.7% for the entire group and 46.6% for the SCC subgroup. The occurrence of the occult primary was observed in 23 of 113 patients (20.3%), 19 (82.6%) within the head and neck region. At multivariate analysis, treatment with curative intent and extensive irradiation of bilateral neck and pharyngeal mucosa were favorable prognostic factors for the whole series, and treatment with curative intent, extensive irradiation of bilateral neck and pharyngeal mucosa, and absence of extracapsular spread were favorable prognostic factors for the SCC subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with cervical lymph node metastases from UPS have a similar prognosis to those affected by other head and neck malignancies. Curative treatment strategies including neck dissection and extensive irradiation by three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy resulted in significantly better outcomes.     

宫颈腺癌中Fas配体的表达对淋巴结转移和预后的影响

目的研究宫颈腺癌中Fas配体(Fas ligand,FasL)的表达对肿瘤淋巴结转移和预后的影响,并初步探讨其可能的细胞生物学机制。方法35例临床分期为IB~IIB的宫颈腺癌患者,其中14例伴有淋巴结转移。对手术切除标本采用RT-PCR和免疫组化方法,在mRNA水平和蛋白质水平检测各组标本中FasL的表达情况,对结果的光密度值进行半定量分析。将FasL表达情况,与患者术后病理指标,以及生存率进行对比。结果在所有的宫颈腺癌患者中,有62.9%(22/35)的原发灶处有FasL的阳性表达;在14例淋巴结转移的标本中,有92.8%(13/14)的FasL阳性表达,其中64.3%(9/14)的标本中阳性细胞比例达50%以上。病理学检测显示,FasL的阳性表达与癌细胞对周围组织的侵袭程度,以及淋巴结转移有显著的相关性(P<0.01)。随访资料显示,FasL阳性表达的宫颈腺癌患者,5年生存率仅为54.5%(12/22),与FasL阴性表达的患者相比,具有显著性差异(P<0.01)。结论FasL阳性表达的宫颈腺癌细胞,可以诱导淋巴细胞凋亡,从而便于其向周围组织侵袭,并向淋巴结转移。由于FasL阳性表达的癌细胞更易逃脱免疫系统监视,因而这部分患者预后往往较差。     

Elevation of cyclooxygenase-2 is related to lymph node metastasis in adenocarcinoma of uterine cervix

In a previous study, we demonstrated that elevation of COX-2 is significantly associated with lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of cervix. The main objective of this study is to characterize the relationship between elevation of COX-2 and its possible clinical role in adenocarcinoma (AC) of cervix. Using immunohistochemistry, we examined COX-2 expression levels in 84 patients with AC of uterine cervix [71 ACs, 13 adenosquamous carcinomas (ASCs)]. Elevation of COX-2 was correlated with clinicopathological variables and p53 expression, as detected by immunohistochemistry. Elevation of COX-2 was detected in 13.0% (11 of 84) of the tumors. Elevation of COX-2 was significantly correlated with histologic type (AC 8.5% vs. ASC 38.5%, P=0.011). Both tumor stage and lymph node metastasis were correlated with elevation of COX-2 with a borderline significance (P=0.062 and 0.068, respectively). Elevation of p53 was not associated with elevation of COX-2. The association between lymph node metastasis and elevation of COX-2 was stronger in cases of AC than in cases of ASC (28.4 vs. 4.3%, P=0.023). According to the results of univariate analysis, elevation of COX-2 was significantly associated with decreased overall survival (P=0.003, log-rank test). However, multivariate analyses revealed that only tumor stage was independently associated with overall survival, suggesting that elevation of COX-2 itself may not be an independent prognostic factor. The present study shows that elevation of COX-2 may contribute to lymph node metastasis in AC of uterine cervix. This suggests that the potential therapeutic role of COX-2 inhibitors should be validated, not only in SCC, but also in AC of uterine cervix.     

Esophageal adenocarcinoma and obesity: peritumoral adipose tissue plays a role in lymph node invasion

Obesity is associated with cancer risk in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Adipose tissue directly stimulates tumor progression independently from body mass index (BMI), but the mechanisms are not fully understood. We studied the morphological, histological and molecular characteristics of peritumoral and distal adipose tissue of 60 patients with EAC, to investigate whether depot-specific differences affect tumor behavior. We observed that increased adipocyte size (a hallmark of obesity) was directly associated with leptin expression, angiogenesis (CD31) and lymphangiogenesis (podoplanin); however, these parameters were associated with nodal metastasis only in peritumoral but not distal adipose tissue of patients. We treated OE33 cells with conditioned media (CM) collected from cultured biopsies of adipose tissue and we observed increased mRNA levels of leptin and adiponectin receptors, as well as two key regulator genes of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT): alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and E-cadherin. This effect was greater in cells treated with CM from peritumoral adipose tissue of patients with nodal metastasis and was partially blunted by a leptin antagonist. Therefore, peritumoral adipose tissue may exert a direct effect on the progression of EAC by secreting depot-specific paracrine factors, and leptin is a key player in this crosstalk.     

淋巴结转移对肝内胆管细胞癌患者预后的影响及临床相关因素研究

背景与目的：肝内胆管细胞癌（intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma,ICC）是原发性肝癌中第二常见的病理学类型,起病隐匿,预后不佳。ICC常出现淋巴结转移（lymph node metastasis,LNM）。探讨肝十二指肠LNM与ICC患者临床相关因素及预后的关系。方法：共招募322例ICC患者在复旦大学附属中山医院行根治性肝肿瘤切除术,分析肝十二指肠LNM与临床病理学特征的关系及预后价值。结果：LNM与乙型肝炎病毒（hepatitis B virus,HBV）阳性、血清CA19-9>89 U/mL、肿瘤数目、肿瘤直径（>5 cm）、微血管侵犯、TNM分期、中性粒细胞/淋巴细胞比值（neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio,NLR）显著相关。Kaplan-Meier分析显示,无LNM的ICC患者组的1、3和5年总生存率（overall survival,OS）分别为80.8%、53.4%和40.3%,显著高于伴有LNM组（47.4%、20.4%和10.2%,P<0.001）。无LNM的ICC患者组的1、3和5年无瘤生存率（recurrence-free survival,RFS）分别为62.6%、43.4%和36.3%,显著高于伴有LNM组（25.6%、16.6%和12.4%,P<0.001）。进一步研究发现,血清CA19-9>89 U/mL（P<0.001）、肿瘤直径>5 cm（P=0.042）、肿瘤数目（P<0.001）、微血管侵犯（P=0.022）、TNM分期（P<0.001）、NLR≥2.49（P=0.016）、淋巴细胞/单核细胞比值（lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio,LMR）<4.45（P=0.048）及LNM（P<0.001）与ICC患者术后无瘤生存时间（time to recurrence,TTR）显著相关;血清CA19-9>89 U/mL（P<0.001）、肿瘤直径>5 cm（P=0.008）、肿瘤数目（P=0.002）、TNM分期（P<0.001）、NLR≥2.49（P<0.001）、LMR<4.45（P=0.002）及LNM（P<0.001）与ICC患者术后OS显著相关。多因素分析显示,血清CA19-9>89 U/mL、肿瘤数目、LNM是影响ICC患者术后TTR的独立预后因素;血清CA19-9>89 U/mL、肿瘤数目、LMR<4.45、LNM是影响ICC患者术后OS的独立预后因素。结论：肝十二指肠LNM是ICC患者术后的独立预后因素,准确判断LNM状态具有重要的临床意义。     

宫颈腺癌细胞CXCR4/CXCL12过表达与淋巴结转移和慢性炎症的关系

背景与目的:CXCL12是一种炎症趋化因子,CXCR4是其特异性受体.有文献报道CXCR4参与多种恶性肿瘤的转移过程.但CXCR4/CXCL12在宫颈腺癌细胞中表达的意义鲜见报道.本研究探讨CXCR4/CXCL12在宫颈腺癌细胞中过表达与淋巴结转移及宫颈慢性炎症程度的相关性.方法:收集35例行子宫颈癌根治术的Ⅰ B1～ⅡB期宫颈腺癌标本,其中有淋巴结转移组8例,无淋巴结转移组27例.组织切片行CXCR4和CXCL12免疫组化染色及HE染色,90%以上肿瘤细胞强着色定义为过表达.采用Fisher's精确概率检验法、卡方检验及Pearson相关检验分析结果.结果:35例均有不同数量肿瘤细胞表达CXCR4.有淋巴结转移组CXCR4过表达率(62.50%,5/8)高于无淋巴结转移组(22.00%,6/27),P＜0.05.临床Ⅰ B期有淋巴结转移组CXCR4过表达率(33.33%,1/3)高于无淋巴结转移组(26.01%,6/23),但P＞0.05;临床ⅡB期,有淋巴结转移组CXCR4过表达率高于无淋巴结转移组(80.00%,4/5 vs.0.00%,0/4),P＜0.05.CXCR4过表达预测淋巴结转移的阳性预测值为45.45%,阴性预测值为87.50%.35例中33例有数量不等的肿瘤细胞表达CXCL12.无论有淋巴结转移组或无淋巴结转移组,临床Ⅱ期病例CXCL12过表达率均明显高于I B期(0.00% vs.80.00%,21.73% vs.75.00%),P＜O.05.23例临床Ⅰ B期无淋巴结转移组,CXCR4过表达率与CXCL12过表达率呈正相关(P＜0.05):但在Ⅰ B期有淋巴结转移组(3例)及ⅡB期(9例)病例组,两者间无相关性.35例病例均伴有不同程度慢性炎症,炎性浸润主要为淋巴细胞.CXCL12过表达率与宫颈慢性炎症浸润程度无相关性,P＞0.05.结论:宫颈腺癌细胞CXCR4过表达提示具有较高淋巴结转移潜能.随着肿瘤进展,CXCL12过表达率也随之升高.宫颈腺癌中慢性炎症细胞可能由其它趋化因子吸引所致,而非CXCL12.     

Prognostic significance of lymph node metastasis and surgical margin status for distal cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Prognostic indicators for patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma have not been confirmed because of its rarity. The aim of this study was to identify useful prognostic factors in patients undergoing surgical resection for distal cholangiocarcinoma. METHODS: Charts of 43 patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma who underwent surgical resection were retrospectively reviewed. Pancreatoduodenectomy was performed in 35 patients, and segmental bile duct resection in 8. Potential clinicopathological prognostic factors were examined by univariate and multivariate survival analysis. RESULTS: Postoperative complications occurred after surgery in 19 patients (44%), but there was no mortality. Overall survival rates were 72%, 53%, and 44% for 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively (median survival time, 26.0 months). Univariate analysis found that older age, pathological pancreatic invasion, lymph node metastasis, perineural invasion, positive surgical margin, and TNM stages II and III were significant predictors of poor prognosis (P < 0.05). Furthermore, lymph node metastasis and positive surgical margin were found to be significant independent predictors of poor prognosis with a Cox proportional hazards regression model (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that lymph node metastasis and positive surgical margin as determined by surgical resection might be useful in predicting post-surgical outcome in patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma.     

Prognostic relevance of the lymph node ratio in surgical patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Aim

Few studies have investigated the influence of the lymph node ratio (LNR), the ratio of the number of lymph nodes harboring metastatic cancer to the total number of lymph nodes removed, on the outcome after surgery for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. This study was conducted to examine the prognostic impact of LNR in patients undergoing resection for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively analyzed a total of 60 consecutive patients who underwent resection for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. We focused on the LNR, which was classified as 0 in 34 patients, between 0 and 0.2 in 13 patients, and greater than 0.2 in 13 patients.

Results

The overall five-year survival rates for patients with LNRs of 0, 0 to 0.2, and ≥0.2 were 44%, 10%, and 0%, respectively (p = 0.023). LNR was an independent predictive factor for estimated survival by both univariate (p = 0.016) and multivariate (p = 0.022) analyses including LNR, the sites of the primary tumors, and surgical margin as the variables. There were no statistically significant differences between patients who had less than 12 lymph nodes removed and those who had 12 or more lymph nodes removed (p = 0.484).

Conclusion

LNR was a powerful, independent predictor of estimated survival in patients undergoing surgical resection for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. LNR should be considered when stratifying patients for future clinical trials.     

Metastatic lymph node ratio as an important prognostic factor in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Background

Overall five year survival following pancreaticoduodenectomy for ductal adenocarcinoma is poor with typical reported rates in the literature of 8–27%. The aim of this study was to identify the histological variables best able to predict long-term survival in these patients.

Methods

A prospective database of patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy between April 2002 and June 2009 was analysed to identify patients with histologically proven pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Patients with ampullary tumours, cholangiocarcinoma, duodenal adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine tumours were excluded. The histology reports for these patients were reviewed. Uni-variate and multi-variate survival analysis was performed to identify variables useful in predicting long-term outcome.

Results

134 patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma during this period. 5 year survival in this series was 18.6%. Uni-variate analysis identified nodal status and the metastatic to resected lymph node ratio as predictors of survival. Using multi-variate Cox Regression analysis a metastatic to lymph node ratio of >15% (p < 0.01) and the presence of perineural invasion (p < 0.05) were identified as independent predictors of patient survival. Metastatic to resected lymph node ratio is better able to stratify prognosis than nodal status alone with 5 year survival of those with N0 disease being 55.6% and 12.9% for N1 disease. However for those with <15% of resected nodes positive, 5 year survival was 21.7% and in those with >15% nodes positive it was 5.2% (p = 0.0017).

Conclusion

The metastatic to resected lymph node ratio can provide significant prognostic information in those patients with node positive disease after pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.     

以左颈淋巴结转移癌首诊的78例患者临床分析

目的 探讨以左颈淋巴结转移癌首诊患者的临床特点。方法 本院从1996年1月～2003年3月收治78例以左颈淋巴结转移癌首诊的恶性肿瘤，全部病例均经病理证实，回顾性分析其临床资料。结果 78例以左颈淋巴结转移癌首诊的恶性肿瘤中原发灶来源于头颈部的46例(58．97％)、肺部10例(12．82％)、消化道10例(12．82％)，原发灶未明11例(14．20％)。临床分析发现转移灶的病理形态、解剖位置、病灶大小与原发灶有密切关系。结论 以左颈淋巴结转移癌首诊的恶性肿瘤，应强调注意其病理形态、解剖位置、病灶大小、结合病史、内镜等检查，以提高原发灶的检出率，指导临床治疗。     

肺腺癌纵隔淋巴结转移CT影像与病理诊断的一致性研究

目的 探讨肺腺癌术前胸部CT影像与术后病理诊断纵隔淋巴结转移的一致性,为放疗靶区勾画提供依据。方法 收集2009年1月至2011年11月107例肺腺癌患者的病历资料,将CT检出淋巴结与手术病理阳性淋巴结的大小和数量进行分析,计算淋巴结阳性转移率。结果 CT检出长径＜15mm的淋巴结,其阳性转移率为26.8％;CT检出长径≥15mm的淋巴结,其转移率为72.6％。随着CT检出淋巴结数量增加,淋巴结长径增大,淋巴结阳性转移率升高。结论 随着淋巴结长径的增大,淋巴结转移率逐渐升高;CT检出淋巴结＞2个较≤2个转移率高,且长径较小时转移率就较高。     

早期肺腺癌淋巴结转移的危险因素分析

目的 探讨早期肺腺癌淋巴结转移的危险因素,进而确定早期肺腺癌淋巴结清扫的手术适应证.方法 选取2018年于哈尔滨医科大学附属肿瘤医院行肺癌根治术且肿瘤直径≤30 mm的肺腺癌患者共301例,对患者临床资料进行回顾性分析,应用logistic回归分析淋巴结转移的独立危险因素,绘制ROC曲线评价其预测淋巴结转移效果.结果 ...     

原发灶不明颈淋巴结转移癌42例临床分析

目的探讨原发灶不明颈淋巴结转移癌的诊断、治疗方法与预后的影响因素。方法回顾分析我院1992年2月～1999年2月收治的42例原发灶不明颈淋巴结转移癌患者的临床资料。结果全组的1、3、5年生存率分别为71．4％(30／42)，45．2％(19／42)，33．3％(14／42．)。随诊中有14．3％(6／42．)的原发灶不明颈淋巴结转移癌患者发现了原发灶。结论影响原发灶不明颈淋巴结转移癌预后的主要因素是组织学类型，N分期，转移癌的部位，原发灶是否找到。对颈部转移性低分化癌、未分化癌或鳞癌应采用放射治疗，位于中上颈者应采用面颈联合野放射治疗，转移性腺癌应以手术治疗为主，晚期颈转移癌应采用化疗、放疗为主的综合治疗。锁骨上区转移癌应以化疗为首选。     

前哨淋巴结检测在早期宫颈癌中的临床应用

背景与目的：前哨淋巴结（sentinel lymphnode,SLN）检测已经广泛应用于一些实体肿瘤的治疗方案设计中,特别是乳腺癌和体表恶性黑色素瘤。若SLN阴性,则可视为该淋巴区域无肿瘤转移。本研究的目的是探讨放射性核素定位法、活性染料定位法及二者联合法探测宫颈癌SLN和评价SLN对早期宫颈癌盆腔淋巴结转移状况的预测价值。方法：27例欲行广泛性子宫切除＋盆腔淋巴结清扫术的宫颈癌患者,术前16h注射^99mTc-右旋糖酐,进行SLN显像：手术时．注射亚甲蓝约4ml,寻找监染淋巴结;同时术中用1探针探测放射性热点。SLN全部被切除后,行广泛子宫切除＋盆腔淋巴结清扫术,所有切除的SLN及非SLN（non—sentinel lymph node,NSLN）分别送常规病理检查。结果：染料法、核素法、联合法对27例患者的SLN检出率分别为96.3%（26/27）、100%（27/27）,100%（27/27）;27例患者中染料法、核素法、联合法分别检出SLN61枚、69枚、70枚;核素法中,术前SPECT/CT融合显像较平面显像多检出4枚宫旁淋巴结。病理结果示7例患者有淋巴结转移,占25.9%（7/27）。SLN检测的敏感性,准确性、阴性预测值,假阴性率分别为85.7%（6/7）,96.3%（26/27）,95.2%（20/21）,14.3%（1/7）。结论：术前SPECT/CT三维断层显像检出SLN的敏感性优于平面显像,并且能够对SLN进行准确定位,联合应用放射性核素定位法和活性染料识别法提高了SLN检出的准确性;SLN的病理结果可以准确的预测早期宫颈癌患者盆腔淋巴结的病理状态。     

食管癌纵隔喉返神经旁淋巴结转移对颈部淋巴结转移的影响

目的 探讨食管癌术后颈部淋巴结转移的危险因素。方法 用Logistic法回归分析本院胸段食管鳞癌术后区域淋巴结转移患者 126例的临床资料,探寻食管癌术后颈部淋巴结转移的危险因素。结果 全组颈部淋巴结转移比例为43.7%(55/126)。Logistic回归分析显示原发部位、T分期、N分期、病理分级、淋巴结转移率、淋巴结转移度、淋巴结转移区域数与颈部淋巴结转移均无关。上纵隔右、左1区淋巴结转移是颈部右、左Ⅰ区淋巴结转移的高危因素(χ²=12.14、9.27,P=0.000、0.002),左纵隔喉返神经区淋巴结转移可降低右颈部Ⅰ区淋巴结转移风险(χ²=6.04,P=0.014),颈部Ⅲ区和上纵隔2区淋巴结转移是颈部 Ⅱ_a区淋巴结转移的高危因素(χ²=14.56、8.27、8.02、3.93,P=0.000、0.004、0.005、0.047)。     

原发不明颈部转移癌的诊治

原发不明的颈部转移性癌（CCUP）占所有头颈部恶性肿瘤的3%~5%。随着PET-CT、分子病理学、内镜等辅助检查的发展和放疗技术的进步,这类疾病的诊治水平逐渐提高。手术和放射治疗是CCUP最主要的治疗方式。但因CCUP发病率较低、异质性大,目前仍缺少前瞻性临床试验数据,在治疗方面存在很多争议,本文就近年CCUP的诊疗进展做一综述。     

原发不明颈部转移癌的诊治北大核心CSCD

原发不明的颈部转移性癌(CCUP)占所有头颈部恶性肿瘤的3%~5%。随着PET-CT、分子病理学、内镜等辅助检查的发展和放疗技术的进步,这类疾病的诊治水平逐渐提高。手术和放射治疗是CCUP最主要的治疗方式。但因CCUP发病率较低、异质性大,目前仍缺少前瞻性临床试验数据,在治疗方面存在很多争议,本文就近年CCUP的诊疗进展做一综述。     

Gastric adenocarcinoma metastatic to the skin: a report

Metastases to the skin from internal tumours are uncommon, yet they may be the first presentation of such malignancies. They usually arise from the breast, lung and large bowel. Skin metastases from gastric adenocarcinoma are extremely rare. We report a case of a patient with gastric adenocarcinoma who at presentation had multiple, clinically benign-looking skin nodules. Biopsy of these revealed metastatic deposits.     

胸段食管鳞癌颈部淋巴结转移特点及其临床意义

背景与目的：食管癌颈部淋巴结转移率较高,但少有专门报道。本研究分析胸段食管鳞癌颈部淋巴结转移特点,探讨其临床意义。方法：选择1993年1月—2003年12月在福建省肿瘤医院行胸段食管鳞癌三野淋巴结清扫根治术患者1 131例,对术后病理证实颈部淋巴结转移患者376例的具体情况进行分析。结果：全组颈部淋巴结转移率为33.2%,其中胸上、中及下段的颈部淋巴结转移率分别为43.7%、33.0%和16.0%。单因素分析显示,颈部淋巴结转移率与肿瘤部位、病理分化程度、病变X线长度、pT分期以及淋巴结转移个数有关(P<0.05),但多因素回归分析显示,颈部淋巴结转移率只与肿瘤部位、pT分期及淋巴结转移个数有关(P<0.05)。颈段食管旁淋巴结转移最多见,其次是锁骨上淋巴结转移,颈深淋巴结及咽后淋巴结转移少见;胸上、中及下段的颈部淋巴结转移数占该段淋巴结总转移数的比率分别为57.7%、32.0%和10.0%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);各段食管癌右颈部淋巴结转移多于左颈部。结论：影响胸段食管鳞癌颈部淋巴结转移独立因素是肿瘤部位、pT分期及淋巴结转移数;颈段食管旁淋巴结转移最多见,其次是锁骨上淋巴结转移,颈深淋巴结及咽后淋巴结转移少见。     

AJCC 7th edition of TNM staging accurately discriminates outcomes of patients with resectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: By the AFC-IHCC-2009 study group

BACKGROUND:

This year, the 7th edition of the AJCC staging manual has for the first time attributed a unique pTNM staging to intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) that is intended to replace the 2 Western and ideally also the 2 Eastern systems currently in use. This proposal, which has not yet been validated, was tested in the current study.

METHODS:

Among 522 patients operated on with curative intent for an IHCC between 1994 and 2008 in tertiary hepatobiliary centers, those with mass‐forming‐type IHCCs, an R0 resection, and accurate pathological node staging were retained for evaluation. The distribution of these patients and their actuarial survival in the new TNM stages (as well as in the 4 previous ones) were compared.

RESULTS:

Only 163 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria, mainly because of the lack of routine lymphadenectomy, but patients and tumors characteristics of this population were representative. These patients were evenly distributed between AJCC 7th edition stages (stage I, 28%; stage II, 32%; stage III, 35%), which was not the case for the other systems. With an average follow‐up of 34 months in survivors, the AJCC 7th edition was more discriminating than the others in predicting survival (median for stage I not reached; for stage II, 53 months, P = .01; for stage III, 16 months, P < .0001). Survival of these patients according to the 2 Japanese classifications was identical to that anticipated.

CONCLUSIONS:

The 7th edition is clinically relevant and may be applicable worldwide, provided routine lymphadenectomy at the time of surgery for IHCC becomes the standard of care. Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.