Sentinel lymph node mapping in patients with operable non-small cell lung cancer

Background

The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy and the role of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Material and method

This study was carried out on 25 consecutive patients [M/F=23^:2, mean age 62.84 (47-81) years] with operable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). At thoracotomy, 0.25 mCi of Technecium^99m (99mTc) nanocolloid was injected into each quadrant of lung tissue surrounding the tumor. Before resection scintigraphic measurements of lymph nodes were obtained in vivo and ex vivo using a hand-held gamma probe counter and the findings were compared with histological examination. SLN was defined as the node with the highest count rate.

Results

SLNs were identified in 23 of 25 patients (92%) with a total number of 52 SLNs. Seven of 52 (13%) of these SLNs were positive for metastatic involvement after histological and immunohistochemical examination. In two patients (8%), SLNs could not be found. The sensitivity and specificity were 55% and 86% respectively.

Conclusions

This technic is a good method for identifying the first site of potential nodal metastases of NSCLC. These preliminary results demonstrate this procedure is feasible, but the detection rate has to be improved.KEY WORDS : Non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), sentinel lymph node, 99mTc nanocolloid, lymph node intraoperative detection, nodal dissection     

Feasibility of the detection of the sentinel lymph node in peripheral non-small cell lung cancer with radio isotopic and blue dye techniques

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in peripheral clinically stage I or II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using (99m)Tc colloid and a hand-held gamma detection probe, associated with a blue dye technique. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK; and Hopital Nord, Saint Etienne, France. METHODS: After thoracotomy, a total of 2 mL patent blue dye mixed with 1,600 muCi (99m)Tc-albumin or (99m)Tc-colloid was injected into each quadrant of lung tissue immediately surrounding the tumor. Routine lymphadenectomy was carried out. The first lymph nodes to stain blue or radioactive, if any, were considered SLNs. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients were evaluated. We successfully identified 17 SLNs in 13 patients (detection rate, 54.2%). Mean time from injection to identification of SLNs was 18 min (range, 5 to 30 min). In nine cases, the SLN was blue and radioactive, in six cases only blue, and in two cases only radioactive. The pathologic status of the SLN reflected the pathologic status of other nodes of the routine lymphadenectomy except one case of false-negative SLN (14%). Four SLNs were in N2 stations (23.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The sentinel node mapping in NSCLC with blue dye and radioisotopic techniques is feasible, but the detection rate has to be improved. This technique is an accurate method of identifying the first node draining a tumor, although it is not yet sufficiently sensitive to have a role in reducing the extent of nodal dissection.     

前哨淋巴结检测在胃癌诊断中的作用

目的探讨胃癌前哨淋巴结检测（SLNB）的临床价值。方法使用亚甲蓝对40例胃癌患者行前哨淋巴结术中标识活检。随后行D2或D2以上手术。结果本组病例SLN预测胃用淋巴结转移的敏感性为91．67％（22／24）,假阴性率为8．83％（2／24）,准确率为94．87％（37／39）。SLN在第1站占87．18％（34／39）;检出率依次：No3、No4、No5、No6等。SLN在第2站占12．82％（5／39）;检出率依次：No7、No8等。同时,SLN预测胃周淋巴结转移的敏感性和准确率随胃癌浸润深度的增加而降低,T1期敏感性和准确率为100％,T3期的敏感性为84．62％（11／13）,准确率88．23％（15／17）。22例转移的SLN中,3例SLN为唯一转移部位,且均为T1、T2期。结论SLNB符合胃癌的一般淋巴结转移规律和“跳跃性转移”特点,能准确反映胃癌的淋巴结转移状况,更适于早期胃癌的检测;可能提高胃癌淋巴结微转移的检出率和胃癌分期的准确性及有望指导胃癌淋巴结清扫具有临床价值。     

Single skip metastasis in sentinel lymph node: In an early gastric cancer

Lymph node status is considered a key prognostic and predictive factor in patients with gastric cancer(GC).Although there is a practical approach to the intraoperative detection of sentinel lymph nodes(SLNs),such a procedure is not included in the European surgical protocol.In this report,we present a practical approach to SLN mapping in a representative case with early gastric cancer(EGC).A 74-year-old female was hospitalized with an endoscopically observed,superficially ulcerated tumor located in the antral region.Subtotal gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and SLN mapping was performed by injecting methylene blue dye into the peritumoral submucosal layer.An incidentally detected blue-stained lymph node located along the middle colic artery was also removed.This was detected 40 min after injection of the methylene blue.Histopathologic examination showed a p T1b-staged well-differentiated HER-2-negative adenocarcinoma.All of the 41 LNs located at the first,third,and fifth station of the regional LN compartments were found to be free of tumor cells.The only lymph node with metastasis was located along the middle colicartery and was considered a non-regional lymph node.This incidentally identified skip metastasis indicated stage Ⅳ GC.A classic chemotherapy regimen was given,and no recurrences were observed six months after surgery.In this representative case,low-cost SLN mapping,with a longer intraoperative waiting time,totally changed the stage of the tumor in a patient with EGC.     

Assessment for diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in esophageal cancer using endoscopic ultrasound elastography

Background

We performed endoscopic ultrasound real-time tissue elastography to more accurately diagnose lymph node metastasis of esophageal cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of EUS elastography to distinguish benign from malignant lymph nodes in esophageal cancer patients.

Methods

The present study had two steps. As the first step (study 1), we developed diagnostic criteria for metastatic lymph nodes using elastography and verified the validity of the criteria. Three hundred and twenty-two lymph nodes from 35 patients treated by surgical resection were included in the study. As the second step (study 2), we preoperatively examined the lymph nodes of esophageal cancer patients with EUS elastography and compared its diagnostic performance with that of the conventional B-mode EUS images. A total of 115 lymph nodes from 31 patients were included.

Results

In study 1, lymph nodes were considered malignant if 50 % or more of the node appeared blue, or if the peripheral part of the lesion was blue and the central part was red/yellow/green. The sensitivity and specificity of the elastography were 79.7 and 97.6 % with an accuracy of 93.8 %, which was significantly higher than the values for conventional B-mode imaging. In study 2, the sensitivity and specificity of the EUS elastography were 91.2 and 94.5 % with an accuracy of 93.9 %, which was also significantly higher than the values for conventional B-mode EUS imaging.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrated that EUS elastography is useful for diagnosing lymph node metastasis of esophageal cancer.

     

In vivo and ex vivo sentinel node mapping does not identify the same lymph nodes in colon cancer

Introduction

Identification of lymph nodes and pathological analysis is crucial for the correct staging of colon cancer. Lymph nodes that drain directly from the tumor area are called “sentinel nodes” and are believed to be the first place for metastasis. The purpose of this study was to perform sentinel node mapping in vivo with indocyanine green and ex vivo with methylene blue in order to evaluate if the sentinel lymph nodes can be identified by both techniques.

Methods

Patients with colon cancer UICC stage I–III were included from two institutions in Denmark from February 2015 to January 2016. In vivo sentinel node mapping with indocyanine green during laparoscopy and ex vivo sentinel node mapping with methylene blue were performed in all patients.

Results

Twenty-nine patients were included. The in vivo sentinel node mapping was successful in 19 cases, and ex vivo sentinel node mapping was successful in 13 cases. In seven cases, no sentinel nodes were identified. A total of 51 sentinel nodes were identified, only one of these where identified by both techniques (2.0%). In vivo sentinel node mapping identified 32 sentinel nodes, while 20 sentinel nodes were identified by ex vivo sentinel node mapping. Lymph node metastases were found in 10 patients, and only two had metastases in a sentinel node.

Conclusion

Placing a deposit in relation to the tumor by indocyanine green in vivo or of methylene blue ex vivo could only identify sentinel lymph nodes in a small group of patients.

     

Risk factors of non-sentinel lymph node metastasis in 443 breast cancer patients with sentinel lymph node-positive

Axillary lymph node dissection is the standard surgical procedure for breast cancer patients with sentinel lymph node (SLN) positive. In clinical practice, axillary lymph node dissection may be an unnecessary treatment for some breast cancer patients with non-sentinel lymph node (NSLN) negative. The aim of this study was to analyze the risk factors of NSLN metastasis in breast cancer patients with SLN positive. Four hundred fifty-six clinical early stage breast cancer patients with SLN positive were collected and analyzed in the oncological surgery department of Fujian Provincial Hospital during 2013 to 2018. All these patients underwent surgical treatment. The average age and tumor size of 443 patients with SLN positive breast cancer were (49.8 ± 10.8) years and (2.42 ± 0.94) cm. Univariate analysis showed that the size of primary tumor, the number of positive SLN, the number of negative SLN, the ratio of positive SLNs, and the type of metastases in SLN were the influencing factors of NSLN metastasis. Multivariate regression analysis showed that primary tumor size T > 2 cm (P < .001, OR = 2.609), the positive number of SLNs ≥3 (P = .002, OR = 5.435), the ratio of positive SLNs ≥ 50% (P = .017, OR = 1.770), and SLN macrometastases (P < 0.001, OR = 16.099) were independent risk factors for NSLN metastasis. Combined with the 4 independent risk factors, the area under the curve to predict NSLN metastasis was 0.747 > 0.7. For clinical early breast cancer with positive SLN, primary tumor size T > 2 cm,the positive number of SLNs ≥ 3, the ratio of positive SLNs ≥ 50%, and SLN macrometastases could predict NSLN metastasis well, and guide surgery to avoid overtreatment.     

前哨淋巴结检测在早期胃癌中的临床应用价值

[目的]探讨前哨淋巴结（SLN）检测技术（sLNB）在早期胃癌中的临床应用价值。[方法]138例早期胃癌术中亚甲蓝定位活检SLN,术后行常规苏木精一伊红染色病理和AE1／AE3免疫组织化学法检查。[结果]38例中35例检出SLN,检出率为92．1％。由SLN状态预测胃周淋巴结转移情况的准确率为91．4％（32／35）,敏感性为85．7％（18／21）,特异性为100．％（18／18）,假阴性率为14．3％（3／21）。AE1／AE3免疫组化法与常规苏木精一伊红染色法检测SLN转移的检出率比较,差异有统计学意义（P〈O．01）。[结论-1SLN能较准确反映早期胃癌的淋巴结转移状况,AE1／AE3免疫组化法较常规苏木精一伊红染色病理检查更为敏感,能提高SLN微转移的检出率,对确定临床分期、诊疗及判断预后有着积极的临床意义。     

Significance of Platelet Count in Esophageal Carcinomas

Background/Aim:

Thrombocytosis is found to be associated with unfavorable prognosis in esophageal carcinoma. Platelets produce thymidine phosphorylase which is a platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor with angiogenic activity. Increased platelet count may be translated into enhanced tumor growth. We examined the relation between platelet count and several prognostic variables in patients with esophageal cancer.

Patients and Methods:

Three hundred and eighty-one cases with esophageal cancer that underwent esophagectomy in a referral cancer institute during a 5-year period were studied retrospectively. The relation between preoperative platelet count and patient age, gender, site of tumor, presence of multiple cancers and clinicopathological characteristics including histological type, tumor size, depth of penetration (T), lymph node involvement (N), distant metastasis (M), degree of differentiation, presence of vascular, lymphatic and perineural invasion was examined.

Results:

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) constituted 93% and adenocarcinoma 7% of cases. Most of patients were in stage III, followed by stage II. The mean platelet count was 245±76 (× 10⁹ /L). There was no statistically significant correlation between platelet counts with prognostic factors except a weak linear correlation between platelet count and and tumor size (P= 0.03, Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.16). Patients with adenocarcinoma had a higher platelet count than those with SCC (P= 0.003).

Conclusion:

Platelet count does not correlate with prognostic factors in esophageal cancer. However, it is significantly different between SCC and adenocarcinoma of esophagus.     

Sentinel node mapping in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma using intra-operative combined blue dye and radiotracer techniques

Background

Extended surgeries such as two- or three-field lymph node dissections are gaining more acceptance for treatment of esophageal cancer. Sentinel node biopsy is an alternative approach in this regard. In the current study we evaluated the accuracy of sentinel node mapping of the squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus using intra-operative combined blue dye and radiotracer techniques.

Methods

Immediately after thoracotomy and before mobilizing the tumor, 1 mCi/0.4 ml Tc-99 m-antimony sulfide colloid was injected in two sites proximal and distal to the tumor. Concomitantly, 2 ml of 1 % methylene blue was also injected in the same manner. Sentinel nodes were removed and sent for frozen section and H&E staining. A two-field lymphadenectomy was performed for all patients.

Results

Twenty-three patients were included in the study. The detection rate was 100 %. Eleven patients had pathological lymph node involvement and in 10 patients sentinel node was pathologically positive too. Frozen section results showed 100 % concordant with H&E results. One patient with a false negative result had a pT3 tumor.

Conclusions

Sentinel node mapping in SCC of the mid to distal esophagus is feasible and accurate, especially in pT1 and pT2 tumors.     

Early Recurrence of Pancreatic Cancer after Resection and During Adjuvant Chemotherapy

Background/Aim:

Adjuvant chemotherapy for 6 months is the current standard of care after potentially curative resection of pancreatic cancer and yields an overall survival of 15–20 months. Early tumor recurrence before or during adjuvant chemotherapy has not been evaluated so far. These patients may not benefit from adjuvant treatment.

Patients and Methods:

Thirty-five patients with resection of ductal pancreatic carcinoma and adjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine were analyzed between 2005 and 2007. All patients had a computed tomography (CT) scan before and during adjuvant chemotherapy after 2–3 months, 12/35 patients had a histologically confirmed R1 resection. Recurrence of pancreatic cancer was determined by CT scan and the clinical course.

Results:

Median survival of 35 patients with resected pancreatic cancer was 19.7 months, and the 2-year survival was 44%. Thirteen (37%) of the 35 patients analyzed with a CT scan showed tumor recurrence during adjuvant chemotherapy. Overall survival of patients with tumor recurrence was 9.3 months with a 2-year survival rate of 13%, whereas median overall survival of patients without early relapse was 26.3 months (P<0.001). Local recurrence of pancreatic cancer occurred in 38% (5/13); 46% (6/13) of patients developed distant metastasis, and 38% (5/13) developed lymph node metastasis. Early tumor recurrence during or adjuvant chemotherapy did not correlate with R status (R1 vs R0, P=0.69), whereas histologically confirmed lymph node invasion (pN0 vs pN1) and grading showed a statistically significant correlation with early relapse (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

A significant fraction of patients with resected pancreatic cancer have early relapse during adjuvant chemotherapy, especially those with lymph node metastasis. Radiologic examinations prior to and during adjuvant chemotherapy will help to identify patients with tumor recurrence who are unlikely to benefit from adjuvant treatment and will need individualized palliative chemotherapy.     

Impact of lymph node status in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma treated by major hepatectomy: a?review of the National Cancer Database

Introduction

Routine lymphadenectomy in the surgical treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is not routinely performed. We aim to define predictive indicators of survival in patients with positive lymph nodes.

Methods

The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) was queried for patients who underwent major hepatectomy for ICC between 1998 and 2011. Clinical and pathologic data were assessed using uni- and multi-variate analyses. A sub-analysis was performed on the 160 patients with positive lymph nodes.

Results

Of 849 patients with lymph node data, 57% had at least one lymph node examined. Median survival for lymph node negative patients was 37 months versus 15 months for lymph node positive patients. In lymph node positive patients, poorer survival was associated with not receiving chemotherapy (HR 1.83, p = 0.003), tumor size > 5 cm (p = 0.029), and older age (p < 0.0001). Lymph node positive patients age less than 45 had a median survival of 27 months.

Conclusions

Overall survival in patients with lymph node metastases from ICC is poor. Adjuvant therapy was associated with a longer survival in lymph node positive patients, although prospective data are needed. Routine lymphadenectomy should be strongly considered to provide prognostic information and guidance for adjuvant therapy.     

Individualization of lymphadenectomy in superficial esophageal squamous cell cancer

Background As the result of the development of imaging means, the incidence of discovery of superficial esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) has recently increased. Various treatment methods such as endoscopic mucosal resection and reduction of lymphadenectomy have been performed to preserve the quality of life. Because lymph node metastasis occurs even in the early stage of esophageal cancer, we should carefully select the treatment method, including lymphadenectomy. Methods We analyzed the distribution of solitary lymph metastasis of 27 superficial esophageal cancers. To analyze the distribution of micrometastasis, a total of 1542 lymph nodes obtained from 46 patients with pN0 submucosal cancer were immunohistochemically examined by cytokeratin antibody. Sentinel node mapping was performed in 23 patients with clinical T1 tumors. Results The location of lymph node metastasis in the 22 patients with solitary lymph metastasis in superficial cancer was limited to recurrent nerve nodes in the upper thoracic esophagus, recurrent nerve nodes, paraesophageal nodes, or perigastric nodes in the middle or lower thoracic esophagus. For eight patients with lymph node micrometastasis in pN0 patients with superficial esophageal cancer, the locations of micrometastasis were similar to those of solitary metastasis. In sentinel node mapping, all nodal metastasis was included in sentinel nodes with a single exception. Conclusions Individual lymphadenectomy in superficial ESCC will be established using methods such as analysis of past data, clinical diagnosis of lymph node metastasis by imaging, and sentinel node navigation surgery, including the diagnosis of micrometastasis.     

Clinicopathological features associated with lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer: Analysis of a single-institution experience in China

BACKGROUND:

An accurate assessment of potential lymph node metastasis is an important issue for the appropriate treatment of early gastric cancer. Minimizing the number of invasive procedures used in cancer therapy is critical for improving the patient’s quality of life.

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the clinicopathological features associated with lymph node metastasis of early gastric cancer in patients from a single institution in China.

METHODS:

A retrospective review of data from 410 patients surgically treated for early gastric cancer at the First Affiliated Hospital (Nanjing, China) between 1998 and 2007, was conducted. The clinicopathological variables associated with lymph node metastasis were evaluated.

RESULTS:

Lymph node metastasis was observed in 12.20% of patients. The macroscopic type, tumour size, location in the stomach, depth of gastric carcinoma infiltration, and presence of vascular or lymphatic invasion showed a positive correlation with the incidence of lymph node metastasis by univariate analysis. Multivariate analyses revealed histological classification, macroscopic type, tumour size, depth of gastric carcinoma infiltration, and the presence of vascular or lymphatic invasion to be significantly and independently related to lymph node metastasis. The depth of gastric carcinoma infiltration was the strongest predictive factor for lymph node metastasis. For intramucosal cancer, tumour size was the unique risk factor for lymph node metastasis. For submucosal cancer, histological classification and tumour size were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS:

Histological classification, macroscopic type, tumour size, depth of gastric carcinoma infiltration, and the presence of vascular or lymphatic invasion are independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with early gastric cancer in China. Minimal invasive treatment, such as endoscopic mucosal resection, may be possible for highly selected cancers.     

Technical description of a regional lymphadenectomy in radical surgery for gallbladder cancer

Background

The guidelines for resection of gallbladder cancer include a regional lymphadenectomy; yet it is uncommonly performed in practice and inadequately described in the literature. The present study describes the technique of a regional lymphadenectomy for gallbladder cancer, as practiced by the author.

Methods/Technique

After confirming resectability, the duodenum is kocherized. The dissection starts from the posterior aspects of the duodenum and head of the pancreas and extends superiorly to the retroportal area. This is followed by dissection of the common hepatic artery and its branches, the bile duct and the anterior aspect of the portal vein until the hepatic hilum. Resection of the gallbladder with an appropriate liver resection completes the surgery.

Results

This technique was used for a regional lymphadenectomy in 27 patients, of which 14 underwent radical cholecystectomy upfront, and 13 had revisional surgery for incidentally detected gallbladder cancer. The median number of lymph nodes dissected on histopathology was 8 (range 3 to 18). Eleven patients had metastatic lymph nodes on histopathological examination. There was no post-operative mortality. Two patients had a bile leak which resolved with conservative management.

Conclusion

A systematic approach towards a regional lymphadenectomy ensures a consistent nodal harvest in patients undergoing radical resection for gallbladder cancer.     

Mediastinoscopic esophagectomy for patients with early esophageal cancer

Objective

The purpose of this study was to detect the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of mediastinoscopic esophagectomy for early esophageal cancer.

Methods

The clinical data of 194 patients who underwent mediastinoscopic esophagectomy for early esophageal cancer in our center from December 2005 to October 2014 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

All the surgery was performed successfully. The average duration of thoracic surgery was 48.2±7.8 min and the average intra-operative blood loss was 128.1±34.5 mL. An average of 3.1±1.6 lymph node stations were dissected, with an average number of dissected lymph nodes being 9.38±6.2, among which 4.2±5.4 were mediastinal lymph nodes. No peri-operative mortality was noted, and the rate of peri-operative morbidity was 13.4%. The median duration of follow-up was 39 [3-108] months, and the overall survival was 72.73%. The overall survival rates significantly differed among different T stages; more specifically, the 5-year survival was 95.23% in patients with stage T_1a esophageal cancer, 70.15% for T_1b, and 55.56% for T₂ (P<0.001). The overall survival was significantly better in patients with negative lymph nodes than those with lymph nodes metastasis (P=0.003); more specifically, the 5-year survival rate was 84.9% for N₀, 62.5% for N₁, and 50.0% for N₂ + N₃.

Conclusions

The mediastinoscopic esophagectomy can achieve a similar effectiveness as the conventional thoracoscopic surgery for patients with early stage esophageal cancer.     

Detection of micrometastases and skip metastases with ex vivo sentinel node mapping in carcinoma of the colon and rectum

Background The debate over sentinel lymph node mapping (SLNM) and focused pathologic examination to detect micrometastases in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) continues. We present in this paper our experience with SLNM for CRCs to improve staging. In addition, we have detailed the mapping procedure on an anatomical basis to define skip metastasis. Materials and methods Forty-seven patients underwent ex vivo SLNM. Immediately after resection, 1 ml of patent blue VF was injected submucosally around the tumor. Lymph nodes harvested from the first 15 patients were mapped in a standard fashion as the blue-stained nodes (SLNs), and the others (non-SLNs) were dissected away. In the remaining 32 patients, the lymph nodes were also mapped separately in relation to their anatomic location and described as epicolic-paracolic, intermediate, and principal. The blue-stained nodes (SLNs) and non-SLNs, negative by hematoxylin and eosin stain, were further stained with cytokeratin immunohistochemical analysis and carcinoembryonic antigen. Results A total of 873 histologically confirmed LNs were examined with a mean of 18.6±8.1 nodes per patient. In 46 of 47 patients (97.8%), SLNs were identified. Immunohistochemical staining revealed micrometastases in the lymph nodes of four patients, which were negative by conventional methods. Anatomical skip metastases were noted in 4 of 32 patients studied (12.5%). Conclusion Ex vivo SLNM in CRCs is a feasible technique with a high SLN identification rate. Results of anatomical mapping of lymph nodes correlates with the limited literature, suggesting that occult skip metastases can occur in the apical lymph node group and may occur outside the resected area.     

Predictive risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with small size non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Accurate clinical staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is essential for developing an optimal treatment strategy. This study aimed to determine the predictive risk factors for lymph node metastasis, including both N1 and N2 metastases, in clinical T1aN0 NSCLC patients.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated clinical T1aN0M0 NSCLC patients who showed no radiologic evidence of lymph node metastasis, and who had undergone surgical pulmonary resection with systematic mediastinal node dissection or sampling at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University between January 2011 and June 2013. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictive factors for node metastasis.

Results

Pathologically positive lymph nodes were found in 16.2% (51/315) of the patients. Positive N1 nodes were found in 12.4% (39/315) of the patients, and positive N2 nodes were identified in 13.0% (41/315) of the patients. Some 9.2% (29/315) of the patients had both positive N1 and N2 nodes, and 3.8% (12/315) of the patients had nodal skip metastasis. Variables of preoperative radiographic tumor size, non-upper lobe located tumors, high carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and micropapillary predominant adenocarcinoma (AC) were identified as predictors for positive N1 or N2 node multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

Pathologically positive lymph nodes were common in small size NSCLC patients with clinical negative lymph nodes. Therefore, preoperative staging should be performed more thoroughly to increase accuracy, especially for patients who have the larger size, non-upper lobe located, high CEA level or micropapillary predominant ACs.     

Ultrastaging of Rectal Cancer Based on Identification of Micrometastases in Sentinel Lymph Node

AbstractBackground and Purpose: Almost one third of patients with node-negative rectal carcinoma develop systemic disease. This implies that these patients have occult disease that is inadequately treated by surgery alone. In this study sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping and a focused pathologic examination were combined to detect occult nodal metastases in rectal carcinoma.Patients and Methods: Since 1999, SLN mapping has been performed in 53 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for rectal carcinoma. Peritumoral injection of 0.5–1.0 ml of patent blue dye was performed to demonstrate the SLNs. All lymph nodes in the resected specimen were examined by routine hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. In addition, a focused examination of multiple sections of the negatively stained HE lymph node was performed using anti-carcinoembryonic antigen and monoclonal anti-cytokeratin.Results: Overall, lymphatic mapping was successful in 47 patients (88.7%). The number of patients with negative SLN and positive non-SLN amounted to four (skip lesion), two of them detected by HE staining and the others by immunostaining. Sensitivity was 81.6%, specificity 80%, and negative predictive value 63.2%. Negative HE staining and positive immunostaining were observed in 13 of 28 patients (stage B; 46%), nine SLN and four non-SLN. SLN detection proved to be successful when there was no evident lymph node involvement. Focused examination of the SLN identified seven cases (17.5%) of additional upstaging disease for stage pT1–3 N0 M0 tumor.Conclusion: Upstaging by combination of immunostaining and SLN mapping may have important implications for adjuvant treatment in future protocols.