A novel lymph node staging system for gastric cancer including modified Union for cancer Control/American Joint Committee on cancer and Japanese Gastric Cancer Association criteria

BackgroundThe TNM system of the International Union for Cancer Control/American Joint Committee on Cancer (UICC/AJCC) and the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association (JGCA) systems are the most used lymph node (LN) staging systems in gastric cancer. This study estimated the influence of anatomic location-based node stations on survival and proposed a new staging method based on both the number and anatomical distribution of metastatic LNs (mLNs).MethodsStage I–III gastric cancer patients with radical gastrectomy were retrospectively evaluated. Overall survival (OS) was estimated in 1786 patients with UICC/AJCC stage N1–N3b disease and compared with estimates obtained using JGCA group 1–3 mLN staging.ResultsThe OS of UICC/AJCC stage N1–N3b patients with group 2 JGCA mLNs was significantly worse than that of patients with only group 1 mLNs. The OS of the patients with group 2 mLNs was similar to that of patients with group 1 mLNs but in the next more advanced UICC/AJCC-N stage. The OS of patients with group 3 mLNs was worse than that of patients with any UICC/AJCC-N stage and was similar to that of N3b patients with group 2 mLNs. A new pathological node (pN) staging classification was developed that advanced the N-staging of patients with group 2 mLNs. It was a better indicator of prognosis than the eighth UICC/AJCC-N and the thirteenth JGCA group staging systems.ConclusionsA simple, accurate pN staging system including both the number and location of mLNs had improved homogeneity, discriminatory ability, and gradient monotonicity.     

The predictive value of the 1997 American Joint Committee on Cancer stage classification in determining failure patterns in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: A retrospective analysis of treatment outcomes in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) was performed in which the newly revised 1997 American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage classification was applied and compared with the 1988 AJCC and Ho stage classifications, with emphasis on the predictive value of different staging systems in determining failure patterns in NPC. METHODS: Three hundred and twenty-four patients with newly diagnosed NPC treated between September 1989 and August 1991 and originally staged according to Ho stage classification were re-staged according to the 1988 and 1997 AJCC stage classifications. In addition to stage grouping, patients were also classified into the following prognostic categories to study the failure patterns: early disease group (T1-2N0-1), advanced local disease group (T3-4N0-1), advanced nodal disease group (T1-2N2-3), and advanced locoregional disease group (T3-4N2-3). The overall survival (OAS), relapse-free survival (RFS), local relapse-free survival, nodal relapse-free survival, and distant metastases-free survival were compared among different stage groups and prognostic categories in the three staging systems. RESULTS: In the new AJCC system, the percentages of patients with Stage I, II, III, and IV disease were 15.1%, 31.5%, 28.1%, and 25.3%, respectively, whereas most patients were classified as having Stage IV disease (65.7%) in the old AJCC system and Stage II or III disease (74.1%) in the Ho system. The 5 year OAS rates in the 1997 AJCC Stage I, II, III, and IV disease were 97.7%, 78.7%, 79.5%, and 61.4%, respectively. The corresponding 5 year RFS rates were 95.7%, 64.7%, 54.5%, and 41.1%. Using the 1997 AJCC system to define the four prognostic categories, the early disease group had the lowest incidence of relapse (27.6%) and death (18.4%), whereas the advanced locoregional disease group had the highest incidence of relapse (61.4%) and death (43.2%). Both the advanced local disease group and the advanced nodal disease group had similar rates of relapse (46.7% vs. 47.2%), but local relapse was the major cause of failure in the former group (61.8%), whereas distant metastases was the major cause in the latter group (44%). CONCLUSIONS: Using the 1997 AJCC staging system, the authors observed a better distribution of patient numbers as well as segregation of survival curves among different stage groups. Moreover, prognostic categories with distinct prognosis and failure patterns were definable by the new system, which has important implications in selecting appropriate patient treatment strategies.     

基于IMRT时代的第八版AJCC/UICC鼻咽癌临床分期建议

本文首次发表在Cancer,2016,122(4):546-558.

目的 准确的分期系统对癌症的治疗至关重要。随着癌症分期和治疗方法的演变,需要不断评价分期的适用性和改进性。方法 基于第7版AJCC/UICC分期回顾性分析香港和中国大陆2个肿瘤中心收治的 1609例接受调强放射治疗的首诊无转移鼻咽癌患者临床资料,所有患者治疗前均行核磁共振分期评估。结果 无其他T₃、T₄期解剖结构受侵患者中,伴有咀嚼肌间隙(翼内肌和/或翼外肌)侵犯、椎前肌侵犯及咽旁间隙侵犯的三组患者之间OS相近。伴广泛软组织(上述侵犯结构以外的软组织)受侵患者OS与伴有颅内侵犯或颅神经侵犯相似。仅2%患者锁骨上窝以上淋巴结转移者直径>6 cm,其OS率与下颈淋巴结转移者类似。用下颈(环状软骨尾侧缘水平以下)代替锁骨上窝并不影响N分期之间的风险差异性。采用推荐的T、N分期,T₄N_0-2、T_1-4N₃期OS相近。结论 经AJCC/UICC分期筹备委员会审阅后,建议第8版分期应将翼内肌/翼外肌从T₄降到T₂期,增加椎前肌为T₂期,用下颈取代锁骨上窝,将淋巴结最大直径>6 cm合并归为N₃期,将T₄、N₃期统一归为Ⅳ_A期。这些改变不仅使得相邻分期间风险差异性更好,而且使得临床实践性与全球适用性之间达到最佳平衡。     

915例单纯根治放疗鼻咽癌分期系统比较及建议(二)--AJCC/UICC('97)分期的校验

背景与目的：本研究承起参考文献[1],旨在对鼻咽癌AJCC／UICC（1997）分期进行进一步验证和提出适当的建议。方法：同参考文献[1]。结果：Cox模型分析表明年龄、AJCC／UICC（1997）TNM分期或T和N分期与915例患者生存状况显著相关,统计学差异显著。选择年龄≤60岁患者803例再行Cox模型分析,生存状况仅与AJCC／UICC（1997）大体分期或T和N显著相关。而与年龄的相关不具统计学显著性。803例鼻咽癌的寿命表法分析表明,AJCC／UICC（1997）分期基本可反映预后,但Ⅰ和Ⅱa期。Ⅳa和Ⅳb期两两比较生存率差异不显著。Kaplan-Meier法分析表明在考虑N分期因素影响下,T1和T2a期,T3和T4期差异不显著。考虑T分期因素后,N2和N3a,N3a和N3b两两比较差异不显著。将无咽旁间隙受侵之他a期下调为T1期;将下颈淋巴结受侵之N1上调为N2期;将N3a期和N3b期合并为N3期;将Ⅰ和Ⅱa期合并为Ⅰ期;Ⅳa和Ⅳb期合并为Ⅳa期;Ⅱb期改为Ⅱ期。重新进行分析,调整后大体分期、T和N各自组间比较差异具统计学显著性,分组更具合理性。结论：在充分考虑年龄对预后的影响及T分期和N分期相互影响的前提下,本组病例对AJCC／UICC（1997）鼻咽癌分期系统的验证提示可对其进行以上调整。     

Determining of metastatic lymph node ratio in patients who underwent D2 dissection for gastric cancer

The purpose of this study was to determine outcome of the ratio of metastatic lymph nodes to the total number of dissected lymph nodes (MLR) in patients with gastric cancer. We retrospectively analyzed 111 patients who underwent D₂ lymph node dissection. The prognostic factors including UICC/AJCC TNM classification and MLR were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. The MLR was significantly higher in patients with a larger tumor, lymphatic vessel invasion, blood vessel invasion and perineural invasion, and advanced stage. Moreover, the MLR was significantly associated with the depth of invasion and the number of lymph node metastasis. The univariate analysis revealed for overall survival (OS) that stage of disease, lymphatic vessel invasion, blood vessel invasion, perineural invasion, lymph node metastasis (UICC/AJCC pN stage) and MLR were relevant prognostic indicators. Furthermore, both UICC/AJCC pN stage and MLR were detected as prognostic factor by multivariate analysis, as was perineural invasion. Our results indicated that MLR and UICC/AJCC pN staging system were important prognostic factors for OS of patients with D₂ lymph node dissection in gastric cancer in a multivariate analysis. MLR may be useful for evaluating the status of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer.     

Estimates of stage-specific survival are altered by changes in the 2002 American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system for melanoma

BACKGROUND: The objectives of the current study were to examine how the estimated stage-specific survival is altered in the 2002 American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) melanoma staging system compared with the 1997 AJCC staging system and to contrast the predictive accuracy of the 2 staging systems. METHODS: There were 5847 consecutive melanoma patients who presented to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from 1996 to 2004 and who were entered prospectively into a data base. These patients were staged according to both the 1997 and 2002 AJCC staging criteria. Overall survival estimates were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method. The overall predictive accuracy of the two staging systems was compared using concordance estimation. RESULTS: In total, 1035 patients were shifted to a lower stage in the 2002 staging system, whereas only 15 patients were upstaged. The number of patients with Stage I melanoma increased by 697 under the 2002 system (n = 2166 patients) compared with the 1997 system (n = 1463 patients). Because of the changes in 2002, the estimated 5-year overall survival for patients with Stage II melanoma decreased considerably, from 79% (1997) to 64% (2002). With the initiation of subgroups in 2002, it became apparent that patients with Stage III melanoma were very heterogeneous in terms of their survival probabilities (5-yr overall survival ranged from 70% in patients with Stage IIIA disease to 24% in patients with Stage IIIC disease). Furthermore, in the 2002 system, there was substantial prognostic overlap between Stage II and Stage III. Despite the increased complexity of the 2002 system, the 2 staging systems had similar concordance estimates: 58% for the 1997 staging system compared with 58% (ignoring the subgroups) and 59% (with subgroups) for the 2002 system. CONCLUSIONS: Estimates of stage-specific survival were altered substantially by the changes made in the 2002 AJCC staging system for melanoma, particularly for Stage II. Stage subgroups that were added in the 2002 system resulted in a large diversity of risk within Stage III. This must be taken into account to stratify patients properly for clinical trials. The increased complexity of the 2002 system did not improve its predictive ability over the simpler 1997 system, highlighting the importance of developing individualized risk-prediction models.     

Evaluation of the New American Joint Committee on Cancer/International Union against cancer classification of lymph node metastasis from gastric carcinoma in comparison with the Japanese classification.

BACKGROUND: A new system for the classification of gastric carcinoma, based on the number of metastatic lymph nodes, has been adopted by the current American Joint Committee on Cancer/International Union Against Cancer (AJCC/UICC) TNM system (1997). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rationality of this classification in comparison with the Japanese classification, which is based on the location of positive lymph nodes. METHODS: The authors analyzed 587 patients who underwent clinically curative gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy for gastric carcinoma and each had 15 or more lymph nodes histologically examined from 1982 to 1992. Multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazards model was carried out to determine which classification was more effective. RESULTS: Within the pN1 or pN2 category of the new AJCC/UICC system, no significant difference in the survival rates existed between n1 patients and n2 patients of the Japanese classification. On the other hand, the survival rates significantly decreased, in the order of pN1, pN2, and pN3 (from greatest to smallest decrease), within the n1 and n2 categories. In multivariate analysis, lymph node involvement by the AJCC/UICC classification was selected as the most significant prognostic determinant, whereas the Japanese lymph node classification was not significantly prognostic. When survival rates were calculated within the pT1, pT2, and pT3-4 categories, no differences existed between pN0 and pN1. There was some discrepancy between the survival rate for each pT and pN category and the corresponding stage. CONCLUSIONS: The new AJCC/UICC classification for lymph node involvement of gastric carcinoma is basically acceptable and considered superior to the Japanese classification. Further analysis involving a greater number of cases may be necessary to confirm the applicability of this staging system.     

基于IMRT和RTOG颈部淋巴结分区标准的鼻咽癌N分期研究

目的 建立一个基于IMRT和RTOG颈部淋巴结分区标准的鼻咽癌新N分期。 方法 回顾分析广西医科大学第一附属医院2010—2011年经病理学证实、无DM并接受IMRT的初治鼻咽癌患者324例,根据鼻咽癌UICC/AJCC分期标准(第7版)进行重新分期。Kaplan-Meier法计算生存率,Logrank法单因素预后分析,Cox模型多因素预后分析。 结果 324例患者中269例(83.0%)出现转移淋巴结,中位随访58个月(6~77个月),全组5年OS率为84.8%,DFS率为77.1%,RFS率为92.7%,DMFS率为80.5%。对其中颈部淋巴结阳性患者预后因素分析显示咽后淋巴结、颈部淋巴结水平、侧数是影响鼻咽癌患者预后因素(P值均<0.05)。根据风险比差异确定鼻咽癌新N分期: N₀期为无淋巴结转移;N₁期为Ⅶ_a区或/和单侧上颈(Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、V_a区)淋巴结转移;N₂期为双侧上颈(Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅴ_aa区)淋巴结转移;N₃期为Ⅳ _a、Ⅴ_b区及以下区域淋巴结转移。 结论 基于IMRT和RTOG颈部淋巴结分区标准的鼻咽癌新N分期更符合现状,并能更客观预测预后、指导治疗。     

非转移性T4期鼻咽癌的预后影响因素分析

目的探讨非转移性ⅣA期鼻咽癌的预后影响因子。方法初治的T4N0~3M0 (UICC 1997版分期)鼻咽癌患者145例纳入临床研究,分析患者的复发、转移、生存情况及预后影响因素。结果145例患者的5年OS、CCS、PFS、DLRFS、DMFS分别为59.2％、61.3％、53.0％、71.6％、62.6％。多因素分析显示：颈动脉鞘区受侵是影响DLRFS、DMFS的不良预后因素,UICC N分期是影响DLRFS、 DMFS的独立预后因素;颈动脉鞘区受侵是影响CCS的独立不良预后因素,年龄、颈部照射剂量、UICC N分期是影响CCS的独立预后因素。单因素分析显示: 颈动脉鞘区受侵、UICC N分期是影响CCS、PFS的预后因素,同期化疗或放疗联合化疗虽提示有提高DMFS及提高CCS的趋势,但差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。结论颈动脉鞘区受侵、UICC N分期是影响非转移性T4期鼻咽癌的重要预后因子。     

A comparison of staging systems for localized extremity soft tissue sarcoma

BACKGROUND: Staging systems for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) are important to identify patients with similar systemic risk who might benefit from specific treatments. This study compared four commonly used staging systems for predicting systemic outcomes of patients with localized extremity STS, as proposed by the fourth and fifth editions of the American Joint Committee on Cancer/International Union Against Cancer (AJCC/UICC) staging system, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) system, and the Surgical Staging System (SSS) of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society. METHODS: Three hundred consecutive adult patients with newly diagnosed nonmetastatic STS of the lower extremity were treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center between 1982 and 1989. Metastasis free survival was the end point of the study. The prognostic value of the four staging systems and their components were examined in univariate and multivariate analyses. The Akaike information criterion (AIC) was used to identify the system that best predicted the risk of systemic recurrence. RESULTS: Compartment status, depth, grade, and size were all independent predictors of outcome within their respective staging systems. However, when compared with one another, only depth, grade, and size retained their prognostic significance. Of the four models, the AIC predicted that the MSK was the best predictor of systemic relapse, followed by the fifth edition of the AJCC/UICC staging system. CONCLUSIONS: Staging systems such as the MSK system or the fifth edition of the AJCC/UICC system, which include tumor depth, grade, and size as prognostic factors, are the most predictive of systemic relapse in patients presenting with localized extremity STS. Both of these systems identify the same group of patients at the highest risk who would be the most suitable for adjuvant chemotherapy trials.     

MRI在鼻咽癌分期中的作用

背景与目的:随着磁共振成像(magnetic resonance imaging,MRI)的广泛应用,MRI对于鼻咽癌的诊断价值已被证实明显优于CT.本研究旨在分析MRI与CT检查对鼻咽癌'92分期及6th UICC/AJCC分期的影响.方法:收集2003年1月至2004年6月收治的、经病理证实的初诊鼻咽癌250例,所有病例同时具有治疗前鼻咽和颈部的增强CT及MRI资料.结合临床资料如颅神经受损及颈淋巴结大小,分别采用CT和MRI检查进行'92分期及6th UICC/AJCC分期,评价两者之间的差异.结果:MRI在诊断鼻咽癌软组织超腔侵犯(口咽、鼻腔、咽旁间隙)、咽后淋巴结转移以及颅底骨质、副鼻窦、海绵窦/颅内、颞下窝及颈椎侵犯等方面均明显优于CT,而对于颈部巴结转移的检出两者无显著性差异.对于'92分期,MRI使32.0%的T分期发生改变(26.0%升级,6.0%降级);11.6%的N分期发生改变(6.4%升级,5.2%降级);30.4%的临床分期发生改变(24.0%升级,6.4%降级).对于6th UICC/AJCC分期,MRI使39.6%的T分期发生改变(36.0%升级,3.6%降级);9.2%的N分期发生改变(5.6%升级,3.6%降级);37.6%的临床分期发生改变(33.6%升级,4.0%降级).结论:MRI检测鼻咽癌局部病灶的侵犯范围要明显优于CT,而在颈部淋巴结转移的检出方面与CT结果相似.建立新的、以MRI为主要手段的鼻咽癌临床分期系统的研究具有临床必要性及可行性.     

The clinical use of staging bone scan in patients with breast carcinoma: reevaluation by the 2003 American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system

BACKGROUND: Using the new 2003 American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system, the authors evaluated the usefulness of the staging bone scan in patients with primary breast carcinoma. METHODS: The authors examined 1939 patients with primary breast carcinoma for staging bone scan who were treated at a single institution. Pathologic stage was assigned retrospectively according to the 1988 and the 2003 AJCC staging systems. RESULTS: Bone metastasis rates were 0.7% (4 of 586) for patients with Stage I disease, 0.7% (5 of 699) for patients with Stage IIA disease, 2.1% (10 of 479) for patients with Stage IIB disease, 4.5% (7 of 154) for patients with Stage IIIA disease, and 10.5% (2 of 19) for patients with Stage IIIB disease according to the 1988 AJCC staging system. The authors found a significant difference in the bone metastasis rate between patients with Stages IIA and IIB disease in the 1988 staging system (P = 0.039). Reevaluating the patients by the 2003 system resulted in significant upstaging, especially for patients with Stage II/III disease. According to the 2003 staging system, bone metastasis rates were 0.7% (4 of 586) for patients with Stage I disease, 0.6% (4 of 648) for patients with Stage IIA disease, 0.6% (2 of 310) for patients with Stage IIB disease, 4.0% (9 of 225) for patients with Stage IIIA disease, 16.7% (2 of 12) for patients with Stage IIIB disease, and 4.4% (7 of 158) for patients with Stage IIIC disease. It was noteworthy that there was a significant difference between Stages IIB and IIIA in the 2003 staging system (P = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Stage reclassification using the new AJCC staging system resulted in upstaging of high-risk patients, as well as a significant decrease in the bone metastasis rate in patients with Stage IIB breast carcinoma. Considering the cost-effectiveness of staging bone scan, the data suggested that it was of little value for patients with Stage I and II breast carcinoma, but was highly recommended for patients with worse than Stage III disease by the new 2003 staging system.     

Proposed adjustments to pathologic staging of epithelial malignant pleural mesothelioma based on analysis of 354 cases

BACKGROUND:

Several pathologic staging systems for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) have been published, but none of them provide optimal survival stratification or stage distribution among patients treated with surgery. Interpretation of prior studies that correlate pathologic factors with outcome has been confounded by the inclusion of patients undergoing differing surgical procedures and with varied tumor histology.

METHODS:

We examined pathologic characteristics, previously included in published studies, and explored correlations with outcome among patients with epithelioid MPM who underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH). Comparisons of survival among patients with and without each tumor or lymph node feature guided adjustments to the American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC)/International Union Against Cancer (UICC) classification criteria. Proportional hazards modeling of TN combinations guided adjustments to stage groupings.

RESULTS:

Three hundred fifty‐four patients were resectable by EPP and had complete pathologic data. Overall median survival was 18 months from surgery. By AJCC/UICC criteria, 233 (66%) patients were stage III, whereas by BWH criteria, 194 (55%) patients were stage III. T classification criteria were adjusted based on prevalence and relation to survival. N status correlated significantly with survival. Regrouping of TN combinations based on relative hazard and Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis resulted in improved stage distribution (stage I‐IV: 8%, 43%, 33%, 16%, respectively) and survival stratification (51, 26, 15, 8 months, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS:

Proposed adjustments to TNM staging criteria improved outcome stratification of patients with epithelial tumor histology who received surgical therapy by EPP and complete pathologic assessment. Determining relevance to other treatment or staging modalities will require verification in additional cohorts. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.     

Combined role of tumor angiogenesis, bcl-2, and p53 expression in the prognosis of patients with colorectal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate intratumoral neoangiogenesis in Dukes Stage B and Stage C (AJCC/UICC Stage I and III) colorectal adenocarcinoma and its correlation with nuclear p53 oncoprotein accumulation and cytoplasmic bcl-2 expression as well as to assess the prognostic significance of these features in patient outcome. METHODS: Paraffin embedded specimens from 55 patients with Dukes Stage B (AJCC/UICC Stage I) and 51 patients with Dukes Stage C (AJCC/UICC Stage III) colorectal adenocarcinoma who were treated with surgery were assessed. Patients with lymph node involvement (Dukes Stage C [AJCC/UICC Stage III]) also were treated with postoperative pelvic radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin with or without interferon-alpha. Immunohistochemistry was performed using the anti-CD31 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) for vessel staining, the DO7 MoAb for nuclear p53 expression, and the clone 124 for cytoplasmic/perinuclear bcl-2 expression. Patient follow-up ranged from 4-70 months (median, 28 months). RESULTS: High vascular grade (microvessel score [MS] >/= 40) was observed in 39 of 106 specimens (37%), a medium MS (16-39) was observed in 29 of 106 cases (27%), and a low MS (7-15) was observed in 38 of 106 cases (36%). Positive expression of the bcl-2 protein in > 10% of cells was observed in 33 of 106 cases (31%), whereas p53 nuclear oncoprotein accumulation in > 10% of cells occurred more frequently (44 of 106 cases [42%]). No correlation among p53 expression, bcl-2 expression, and vascular grade was observed. Stroma infiltration by CD31 positive lymphocytes was associated strongly with increased vessel density (P = 0.0001). In univariate analysis Dukes stage was the only significant prognostic parameter (P = 0.02), whereas p53 and vascular grade showed marginal prognostic significance (P = 0.07 and P = 0.09, respectively). In Dukes Stage C (AJCC/UICC Stage III) patients, high vascular grade was the only parameter that predicted a worse overall survival (P = 0.04). Double stratification showed that patients with high vascular grade and positive p53 expression had a poorer survival (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study suggest that p53 mutations, loss of bcl-2 expression, and tumor angiogenesis are events linked to the processes of metastases and local invasion in patients with colorectal carcinoma. Increased vascularization appears to be the most important prognostic factor in patients with Dukes Stage C (AJCC/UICC Stage III) colorectal adenocarcinoma.     

鼻咽癌前瞻性多中心临床分期研究的初步结果

目的 通过比较鼻咽癌2008分期和第7版UICC或AJCC分期标准的病例分布和预后价值,探讨两种分期合理性。方法 分析2009—2010年全国9个肿瘤中心收治的 1508例无远处转移鼻咽癌首诊患者的临床资料,分别根据鼻咽癌2008分期与第7版UICC或AJCC分期进行分期,分析和评价两种分期病例分布的一致性及 3年LRFS、DMFS、OS率。采用Kaplan-Meier法计算LRFS、DMFS和OS率,Logrank检验差异。结果 两种分期的T期、N期、临床分期病例分布相似(Kappa=0.80、0.60、0.60),临床分期OS曲线和T分期LRFS曲线也较一致,但Ⅰ、Ⅱ期OS曲线相似,T₁—T₃期LRFS曲线出现靠拢或重叠。2008分期N₀与N₁期曲线相似,而UICC或AJCC分期N₁与N₂期曲线相似。结论 两种分期病例分布、临床分期及T分期预后相似,但N分期预后不同。两种分期中临床分期、T分期、N分期的预后需进一步完善。     

Comparison of 4 lymph node staging systems for the prognostic prediction of esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma with ≤15 retrieved lymph nodes

BackgroundDirectly applying the 8th American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) staging system to evaluate the prognosis of patients with esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma (AEG) might lead to under-staging, when insufficient lymph nodes were retrieved during surgery. The prognostic value of 4 lymph nodes staging systems, 8th AJCC TNM N stage, lymph node ratio (LNR), log odds of positive lymph nodes (LODDS), and negative lymph nodes (NLN), in AEG patients having ≤15 retrieved lymph nodes were compared.Methods869 AEG patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2012 with ≤15 retrieved lymph nodes were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to assess the association of cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) with 8th AJCC TNM N stage, LNR, LODDS, and NLN respectively. Predictive survival ability was assessed and compared using linear trend χ2 score, likelihood ratio (LR) test, Akaike information criterion (AIC), Harrell concordance index (C-index), and Receiver Operative Curve (ROC).ResultsThe N stage, LNR, LODDS, and NLN were all independent prognostic predictors for CSS and OS in multivariate Cox models. Comparatively, LODDS demonstrated higher linear trend χ2 score, LR test score, C-index and integrated area under the curve (iAUC) value, and lower AIC in CSS compared to the other three systems. Moreover, for patients without regional lymph node metastasis, NLN showed higher C-index and lower AIC.ConclusionsLODDS showed better predictive performance than N, LNR, and NLN among patients with node-positive patients while NLN performed better in node-negative patients. A combination of LODDS and NLN has the potential to provide more prognostic information than the current AJCC TNM classification.     

Cancer of the esophagus and esophagogastric junction

BACKGROUND:

Previous American Joint Committee on Cancer/International Union Against Cancer (AJCC/UICC) stage groupings for esophageal cancer have not been data driven or harmonized with stomach cancer. At the request of the AJCC, worldwide data from 3 continents were assembled to develop data‐driven, harmonized esophageal staging for the seventh edition of the AJCC/UICC cancer staging manuals.

METHODS:

All‐cause mortality among 4627 patients with esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancer who underwent surgery alone (no preoperative or postoperative adjuvant therapy) was analyzed by using novel random forest methodology to produce stage groups for which survival was monotonically decreasing, distinctive, and homogeneous.

RESULTS:

For lymph node‐negative pN0M0 cancers, risk‐adjusted 5‐year survival was dominated by pathologic tumor classification (pT) but was modulated by histopathologic cell type, histologic grade, and location. For lymph node‐positive, pN+M0 cancers, the number of cancer‐positive lymph nodes (a new pN classification) dominated survival. Resulting stage groupings departed from a simple, logical arrangement of TNM. Stage groupings for stage I and II adenocarcinoma were based on pT, pN, and histologic grade; and groupings for squamous cell carcinoma were based on pT, pN, histologic grade, and location. Stage III was similar for histopathologic cell types and was based only on pT and pN. Stage 0 and stage IV, by definition, were categorized as tumor in situ (Tis) (high‐grade dysplasia) and pM1, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

The prognosis for patients with esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancer depends on the complex interplay of TNM classifications as well as nonanatomic factors, including histopathologic cell type, histologic grade, and cancer location. These features were incorporated into a data‐driven staging of these cancers for the seventh edition of the AJCC/UICC cancer staging manuals. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.     

第7版UICC或AJCC鼻咽癌分期的IMRT验证研究

目的 验证第7版 UICC或AJCC 鼻咽癌分期系统在以MR为分期手段、IMRT为基础综合治疗策略下的合理性及适用性。方法 回顾分析2007—2011年间在本院经MRI分期和IMRT治疗的 720例初诊M₀期鼻咽癌患者的生存及失败情况,评价T、N分期对预测患者生存及失败的可靠性。Kaplan-Meier计算生存率,Logrank法检验差异,Cox模型多因素预后分析。结果 第7版 UICC或AJCC 鼻咽癌T分期是OS、CSS、DFS和DMFS的影响因素(P=0.013、0.025、0.001、0.002),但T₁、T₂、T₃期间相近(P=0.054~0.626)。从局部复发和远转风险来看,T₃与T₂期非常接近(P=0.796)。N分期是DFS、DMFS的影响因素(P=0.005,0.000)。但N₀和N₁期间相近(P=0.549、0.707)。在N₀—N₁期中也未发现单纯咽后淋巴结转移对OS、DFS和DMFS有影响(P=0.360、0.083、0.062)。结论 第7版UICC或AJCC鼻咽癌分期系统对经MRI分期和IMRT的鼻咽癌患者预后仍有较好预测价值,但有进一步优化的空间。     

Evaluation of the new AJCC/UICC staging system for hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatic resection in Chinese patients

Hepatic resection is considered the treatment of choice for HCC; however, the prognosis of patients after resection of HCC varies widely, depending on the clinicopathologic features. The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)/International Union Against Cancer (UICC) tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system is widely used evaluating patients with HCC. The current TNM staging for HCC uses pathologic characteristics of tumors, including size, number and location of tumor nodules, presence of vascular invasion, perforation of visceral peritoneum, and invasion of adjacent organs as criteria for T staging. Recently, a simplified AJCC/UICC staging for HCC has been proposed. In addition, the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan proposed a new simplified staging system based on number of tumor nodules, size of tumors, and invasion into the portal vein, hepatic vein, or bile duct. This article evaluates the prognostic value of the new AJCC/UICC TNM staging and the new Japanese staging in a large cohort of Chinese patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC in a single institution.