三阴性乳腺癌临床病理特征及预后与淋巴结转移的相关性

目的 分析三阴性乳腺癌(triple-negative breast cancer,TNBC)临床病理特征及预后与淋巴结转移的相关性.方法 将382例可手术乳腺癌患者根据淋巴结转移情况分组,有淋巴结转移的为阳性组,无转移的为阴性组;利用免疫组织化学方法对ER、PR、Her-2蛋白表达进行检测,根据其结果分别将淋巴结阳性组和阴性组再分为两组,一组为TNBC,另一组为非三阴性乳腺癌(non-triple-negative breast cancer,non-TNBC),比较TNBC和non-TNBC的临床病理特征,Kaplan-Meier法分析乳腺癌的5年无瘤生存率.结果 21.5%(82/382)的病例为TNBC,淋巴结阳性者为163例(42.7%),其中TNBC占43例,淋巴结阴性者为219例(57.3%),其中TNBC为39例.TNBC的淋巴结阳性率(52.4%)高于non-TNBC(40.0%),两者差异有统计学意义(P=0.044).在淋巴结阳性组中,TNBC较non-TNBC肿瘤直径大(P=0.014),在淋巴结阴性组中,TNBC中有乳癌家族史的比例要高(P=0.030),其它临床病理特征差异无显著性(P>0.05).淋巴结阳性组5年无瘤生存率TNBC组为60.5%,non-TNBC组为76.7%,差异有统计学意义(P=0.041);淋巴结阴性组5年无瘤生存率TNBC组为74.4%,non-TNBC组为88.3%,差异有统计学意义(P=0.023).结论 无论淋巴结转移情况,TNBC比non-TNBC易发生复发和转移,临床预后差.     

影响乳腺癌前哨淋巴结数目的临床病理特征分析

目的分析影响乳腺癌前哨淋巴结数目的相关因素,探讨最佳的前哨淋巴结活检值。方法回顾性分析2007年1月-2011年12月中国医学科学院肿瘤医院乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检病例578例。采用Logistic回归模型分析前哨淋巴结数目与临床病理特征的相关性。结果全组女性,平均年龄49.9(21～90)岁。总共获得2 222枚前哨淋巴结,平均每例3.8枚(1～15)。淋巴结转移率17.8%(103/578),转移组和无转移组淋巴结数目无差异。单因素分析显示,术式、显像方法和体质指数影响前哨淋巴结数目(P<0.05)。多因素分析中,单纯乳房切除、联合显像、BMI≤30者前哨淋巴结较多(P<0.05)。前哨淋巴结限于5枚时,转移病例检出率100%。18.7%(108/578)病例不必继续送检淋巴结,298枚淋巴结免于切除。结论乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检数量受到显像方法、乳腺术式和体质指数的影响,5枚前哨淋巴结可能是一个比较合适的参考标准。     

肿瘤间质比和肿瘤浸润淋巴细胞对淋巴结转移乳腺癌预后的影响

目的探讨肿瘤间质比(tumor-stroma ratio,TSR)和肿瘤浸润淋巴细胞(tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes,TIL)对淋巴结阳性非特殊型浸润性乳腺癌预后的影响。方法采用HE染色法评估260例乳腺原发癌和相应淋巴结转移癌中TSR和原发癌中的TIL对患者预后的影响。结果乳腺原发癌中TSR≥50%(低间质组)148例,TSR<50%(高间质组)112例,低间质组患者总生存率和无瘤生存率明显高于高间质组(P均<0.05);TIL低表达组(TIL<10%)155例,高表达组(TIL≥10%)105例,两组患者总生存率和无瘤生存率差异无统计学意义(P均>0.05)。淋巴结转移癌中TSR≥50%(低间质组)163例,TSR<50%(高间质组)97例,低间质组患者无瘤生存率明显高于高间质组(P<0.05);原发癌和淋巴结转移癌同为低间质组时,原发癌低间质组提示预后更好(P<0.05)。原发癌与淋巴结转移癌中TSR呈明显的正相关(r=0.726,P<0.01)。原发癌低间质组中TIL的表达对预后影响,差异无统计学意义(P均>0.05);高间质组中TIL高表达组无瘤生存率明显高于TIL低表达组(P=0.012)。患者总生存率和无瘤生存率与年龄、肿块直径、组织学分级和阳性淋巴结个数无关(P均>0.05)。结论TSR是判断淋巴结转移的乳腺癌患者预后重要指标,且在原发癌和转移癌之间呈正相关,但原发癌TSR对判断预后更有意义。联合TSR和TIL分析,可为淋巴结阳性的乳腺癌患者预后和临床治疗提供帮助。     

STAT3 activation in tumor cell-free lymph nodes predicts a poor prognosis for gastric cancer

STAT3 is constitutively activated in many human cancers including gastric cancer and plays crucial roles in modulating cancer cell proliferation, survival, metastasis as well as the microenvironment of pre-metastatic niches. Accumulating evidence has implicated STAT3 as a promising target for cancer therapy and it has been well established that tumor cell metastasized to lymph node is associated with poor prognosis. However, little is known about the relation between STAT3 activation in tumor cell-free lymph nodes and patient clinical outcomes. The objective of the current study was to investigate the role of STAT3 activity in tumor cell-free lymph nodes in tumor progression and prognosis for gastric cancer patients. Immunohistochemical analyses for p-STAT3, Ki-67, CD68 and Bcl-xL were performed in tumor cell-free lymph nodes from 60 gastric cancer patients. Survival analysis was conducted by using the Kaplan-Meier method. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that hyperactivity of STAT3 in tumor cell-free lymph nodes was significantly associated with tumor recurrence, and STAT3 activation pattern coincides with expression Ki-67, CD68, Bcl-xL. Survival analysis revealed that persistent STAT3 activation in uninvolved lymph nodes was positively associated with poor overall survival (P<0.05). These findings suggest that STAT3 activation in tumor-free lymph nodes is involved in the pathogenesis and metastasis of gastric cancer and that elevated STAT3 activity in lymph nodes prior to tumor cell arrival may indicate a poorer prognosis. These clinical studies support our findings in mouse tumor models showing that STAT3 activation is crucial for pre-metastatic niche formation and metastasis.     

胸中上段食管癌三野淋巴结清扫及二野淋巴结清扫预后比较分析

目的探讨并分析胸中上段食管癌三野淋巴结清扫及二野淋巴结清扫对患者的不同预后情况。方法选择2010年10月至2011年10月我院收治的120例食管癌患者,按淋巴结清扫方式分为三野清扫组跟二野清扫组,每组各60例。二野清扫组采用二野淋巴结清扫治疗,三野清扫组采用三野淋巴结清扫治疗。比较2组经治疗后淋巴结的转移率、手术生存率,以及并发症的发生情况。结果经手术治疗后,三野清扫组淋巴结的转移率分别为18.33%和20.00%,并发症的总发生率为30.00%,均低于二野清扫组;手术生存率为83.33%,明显高于二野清扫组的58.33%,P0.05,差异具有统计学意义。结论食管癌三野淋巴结清扫,能有效地改善患者的预后,提高临床疗效,具有一定的临床意义。     

Effect of Gleason scores of lymph node metastases on prognosis of patients with prostate cancer

The long-term mortality risk from prostate cancer increases in lymph node (LN) positive patients. This study was done to assess the effect of lymph node Gleason score (LNGS) on prognosis in patients with LN-positive prostate cancer. Among the 1,415 patients who received pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND), 117 (8.4%) patients had a positive LN. The PGS of the prostate specimens and the LNGS of the positive LNs were assessed by uropathologists. The median age of patients at surgery was 67 years (interquartile range [IQR], 62-71 years) and the median follow-up duration was 44.3 months (IQR, 27.0-78.5 months). Pathologic Gleason scores (PGS) of 6-9 included one (0.9%), 53 (49.5%), 22 (20.6%), and 31 (29.0%) patients. The median total number of retrieved LNs was 9.0 (IQR, 5.3-12.8). The median number of positive LNs was one (IQR, 1-2). Cancer architecture with a Gleason pattern and score were observed in LNs as in ordinary prostate specimens. LNGS 6-9 included nine (8.1%), 57 (51.4%), 31 (27.9%), and 14 (12.6%) patients. The speaman’s analysis showed the meaningful correlation between PGS and LNGS (P = 0.249, P = 0.011). The univariate analysis showed that the number of positive LNs and LNGS were significantly associated with prostate cancer-specific survival (P = 0.028; P = 0.005). The same architecture that is seen in the prostate was seen in positive LNs, and LNGS may be a significant prognostic factor in patients with LN-positive prostate cancer.     

Extracapsular extension but not the tumour burden of lymph node metastases is an independent adverse risk factor in lymph node-positive bladder cancer

Seiler R, von Gunten M, Thalmann G N & Fleischmann A
(2011) Histopathology  58 , 571–578
Extracapsular extension but not the tumour burden of lymph node metastases is an independent adverse risk factor in lymph node‐positive bladder cancer Aims: To evaluate risk factors in lymph node‐positive bladder cancer. Methods and results: Lymph node‐positive bladder cancer patients (n = 162), preoperatively staged N0M0, underwent cystectomy and standardized extended lymphadenectomy. Five‐year overall survival of the cohort was 33%. In univariate analysis, tumour stage (P < 0.006), extracapsular extension of lymph node metastases (P < 0.001), total diameter of metastases (P < 0.04) and lymph node stage (P < 0.03) were significantly correlated with overall survival (OS), disease‐specific survival (DSS) and recurrence‐free survival (RFS). On multivariate analysis, only extracapsular extension (OS, P < 0.002; DSS, P < 0.02; RFS, P = 0.058) and primary tumour stage (OS, P = 0.058; DSS, P < 0.02; RFS, P < 0.02) added independent prognostic information. Extracapsular extension of lymph node metastases did not correlate with a specific recurrence pattern; patients with organ‐confined tumours (pT1/2) never had pelvic relapse. Conclusions: Extracapsular extension of lymph node metastases but not lymph node tumour burden adds independent prognostic information in lymph node‐positive bladder cancer. These biological differences in lymph node‐positive bladder cancer are not reflected in the sixth, and challenge future, TNM classification.     

胸导管的引流途径及其与周围淋巴结联系的研究

在49具胎儿尸体和5只狗,用淋巴管间接注射法,研究了胸导管的引流途径及其周围淋巴结。在胎儿,57%胸导管借胸导管侧支与周围淋巴结相连,左锁骨上淋巴结的出现率为31%。胸导管侧支、淋巴结及其输出淋巴管构成胸导管的侧副淋巴回流径路。在狗,注射后2小时,部分淋巴结显色,注射剂是经胸导管顺向流入淋巴结的。     

The prognostic significance of immunohistochemically detected lymph node micrometastases in colorectal carcinoma

Micrometastases have been detected by immunocytochemical means in the lymph nodes of patients with otherwise node-negative cancer of the colon and rectum. This study examines the incidence and prognostic significance of nodal micrometastases in Dukes' B carcinoma. Five hundred and fifty-nine lymph nodes from 77 cases of Dukes' B carcinoma were examined for lymph node micrometastases by immunocytochemical staining for cytokeratin AE1:AE3. Micrometastases were detected in 19 cases (25 per cent). Cell clusters were present in ten cases, the remaining nine cases displaying only single cells. The presence of micrometastases was unrelated to age (P = 0·06), sex (P = 0·32), tumour site (P = 0·37), tumour size (P = 0·67), or tumour differentiation (P = 0·66). Ten-year survival estimates by the Kaplan–Meier lifetable method was 47 per cent in patients with and without micrometastases (χ² = 0·35 and 1 df, P = ns). The presence of nodal micrometastases detectable only by immunocytochemistry in patients with Dukes' B colorectal cancer does not justify reassignment to a more advanced disease stage.     

淋巴结转移密度与乳腺浸润性导管癌预后的关系

目的探讨淋巴结转移密度与手术治疗乳腺浸润性导管癌患者预后的关系。方法回顾性分析113例乳腺浸润性导管癌的临床资料,按淋巴结转移密度分为ND40组、ND=0组和ND≤40组,采用Kaplan-Meier法和Cox比例风险模型,比较临床病理特征及淋巴结转移密度评价手术治疗乳腺浸润性导管癌患者5年无瘤生存率和总生存率的价值。结果 ND40组、ND=0组和ND≤40组5年无瘤生存率及总生存率,差异有统计学意义(P均0.05)。在Ⅲ期乳腺癌患者中,淋巴结转移密度提供良好的分层意义,ND40组Ⅲ期乳腺癌与Ⅳ期乳腺癌预后无差异(P=0.453)。单因素分析显示,脉管癌栓、淋巴结转移密度、TNM分期、雌、孕激素受体状态及p N分期均与患者的5年无瘤生存率和总生存率有关(P均0.05)。多因素分析显示,组织学分级及淋巴结转移密度是影响患者5年无瘤生存率的独立因素(P均0.05);淋巴结转移密度是影响患者5年总生存率的独立因素(P0.05)。结论淋巴结转移密度是手术治疗乳腺浸润性导管癌患者预后的独立因素,提示其可作为乳腺癌预后的参考标准,ND40组提示预后不良。     

The associations of obesity, lymph node status and prognosis in breast cancer patients: dependence on estrogen and progesterone receptor status

Breast cancer patients who are obese have a higher risk of lymph node metastases and a poorer prognosis than those who are slim. It has been claimed that estrogens derived from fat are important for these associations. If estrogens are important, these relationships must be stronger in the hormone receptor-positive than in the hormone receptor-negative groups. Body mass index (BMI) was used as a measure of obesity. The second, third, and fourth quintiles of BMI were treated as one group and termed 'medium'. Patients in the fifth quintile were termed 'obese' and those in the first quintile 'slim'. The number of women with unilateral disease treated with modified radical mastectomy and included in the study was 1211. Of all patients included, obese patients had a 1.53 higher risk of lymph node metastases compared to slim patients (p=0.02). In the PgR-negative group, obesity gave a 3.08 times higher risk of lymph node metastases (p=0.03). The risk of dying of breast cancer tended to be higher in obese than in slim patients when all patients in the study were compared (relative risk=1.38, p=0.06). BMI did not show a statistically significant relationship with prognosis if only hormone receptor status was considered. However, if lymph node status and hormone receptor status were taken together, the association was strong and reversed in the lymph node-positive group with ER-negative tumours. The adjusted relative risk was 0.33, showing that slim patients had a 3.03 (1.0/0.33) times higher risk of dying of breast cancer compared to obese patients (p=0.002). These results indicate that non-hormonal mechanisms could be important.     

Postoperative intra-arterial methylene blue injection of colorectal cancer specimens increases the number of lymph nodes recovered

Törnroos A, Shabo I, Druvefors B, Arbman G & Olsson H
(2011) Histopathology 58 , 408–413
Postoperative intra‐arterial methylene blue injection of colorectal cancer specimens increases the number of lymph nodes recovered Aims: To determine the possible advantage of intra‐arterial injection of methylene blue with a view to improving lymph node recovery in postoperative examination of colorectal cancer specimens. Methods and results: Thirty‐two colorectal cancer specimens were assigned randomly to either dissection with intra‐arterial methylene blue injection or to routine dissection (without methylene blue injection). Immediately postoperatively, the specimens in the staining group were injected intra‐arterially with methylene blue dye. The two procedures were compared with respect to the number of lymph nodes recovered. The number of recovered lymph nodes was significantly higher in the intra‐arterial methylene blue injection group than in the group investigated with routine procedures (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: The intra‐arterial methylene blue injection method is fairly easy to use postoperatively and increases significantly the number of lymph nodes recovered in colorectal cancer specimens.