肺鳞癌、腺癌纵隔淋巴结转移的特点

目的 研究原发肺鳞癌及腺癌纵隔淋巴结转移特点,探讨临床意义.方法 对353例原发肺癌施行同侧纵隔淋巴结廓清术,病理检测淋巴结转移频度.结果 清除淋巴结2380组,平均每例6.74组.N2 淋巴结转移率16.2%.T1、T2、T3间淋巴结转移率差异有统计学意义(P<0.01).N2转移率在鳞癌、腺癌分别为30.1%、44.1%.64.2% 鳞癌N2转移为某一组淋巴结,腺癌3组以上转移者46.2%.上叶肺癌跨区域N2转移占15.1%,下叶(包括中叶)肺癌跨区域转移占53.1%.跳跃式转移占N2转移的53.7%.结论 肺鳞癌及腺癌纵隔淋巴结转移具有多发性、跳跃性及跨区域性特点.     

Pneumonectomy with mediastinal lymphadenectomy in lung cancer

The authors describe a method for removal of lymph nodes of the anterior and posterior mediastinum during pneumonectomy, which increases considerably the radical character of the operation. The necessity of separate removal of the lung and the mediastinal fat is emphasized. The anterior and posterior mediastinum are opened by a horseshoe-shaped incision. The described operative technique was used in 613 patients. The control group was made up of 240 patients. Three-year and five-year survival in the group of patients studied was 50.2 and 43.6%, respectively, which was higher than in the control group (38.4 and 27.8%, respectively).     

Surgical significance of mediastinal metastases in lung cancer

Although the spread of tumors is of common concern to both surgeons and pathologists, yet there are indications that in the field of lung cancer metastasis, pathologic and surgical concepts are not yet complementary. A detailed study has, therefore, been made of the topographic distribution of mediastinal lymph node metastases in 100 autopsy cases of lung cancer. Eighty-four per cent showed metastases which were either wholly ipsilateral or larger ipsilaterally. In contrast, 13 per cent displayed metastases which were either equal on both sides or larger contralaterally. The remaining 3 per cent exhibited no discernible metastases. It is concluded that these metastatic patterns accord with the concept that, if the patient's respiratory reserves are adequate, it is rational to resect the lymphatics of the hemithorax radically.     

The value of mediastinal staging with endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration in patients with lung cancer

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic yield, the learning curve and the safety of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle biopsy (EBUS-TBNA) in mediastinal staging of patients with lung cancer. Methods: Mediastinal staging was performed with EBUS-TBNA according to the Danish national guidelines in patients fulfilling one or more of the following criteria: (1) central tumour; (2) enlarged (>10 mm) mediastinal lymph nodes on computed tomography; or (3) positron emission tomography (PET)-positive mediastinal lymph nodes. The study period began in January 2006 when EBUS-TBNA was introduced in the department and ended in December 2007. All records were reviewed retrospectively. None of the four examiners had any previous experience with EBUS-TBNA or ultrasound when the study began. All examinations were performed under general anaesthesia. Patients without useful cytological material from the EBUS-TBNA were subjected to a supplementary standard cervical mediastinoscopy if the mediastinal lymph nodes were found to be enlarged (>10 mm), PET positive or if the examiner was insecure of the result of the EBUS-TBNA. Patients with mediastinal lymph node involvement, detected by EBUS-TBNA or standard cervical mediastinoscopy, were referred to oncological treatment, while those without mediastinal lymph node involvement underwent – if they were otherwise eligible for surgery – resection and systematic lymph node sampling either by thoracotomy or by video-assisted thoracoscopy. Final mediastinal staging was defined as positive if mediastinal lymph node involvement was detected by EBUS-TBNA, standard cervical mediastinoscopy or surgery, or defined as negative otherwise. Results: A total of 157 patients were included in the study. N2/N3 disease was found in 67 patients (42.6%). EBUS-TBNA missed the mediastinal spread in 10 patients. Five of the ten patients had lymph node metastases in station 5, 6 or 8 – out of reach of EBUS-TBNA or standard cervical mediastinoscopy. EBUS-TBNA had a sensitivity of 0.85 (0.74–0.93) and a negative predictive value of 0.90 (0.82–0.95). No complications occurred from EBUS-TBNA. The number of supplementary standard cervical mediastinoscopies decreased significantly in the study period. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that staging of the mediastinum with EBUS-TBNA is safe and easy to learn – even without previous experience with ultrasound. The diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA is in accordance with the yield of standard cervical mediastinoscopy reported in the literature. We do not find any indications in the present study of the recommended necessity for mediastinoscopy in all EBUS-TBNA-negative patients.     

Mediastinal ultrasonography for the assessment of mediastinal lymph node metastases in lung cancer patients

Using an ultrasonic probe inserted into the mediastinum during cervical mediastinoscopy, mediastinal ultrasonography (USM) was performed on 63 patients with lung cancer. The patients with a small peripheral mass of less than 2 cm in diameter, according to the chest X-ray results, and with mediastinal lymph nodes smaller than 1 cm in their short axes as determined by computed tomography (CT), were excluded from this study. An analysis of the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves derived from CT and USM showed that USM was superior (P=0.043) to CT in terms of the diagnosis for mediastinal lymph node metastases, when the short axis dimension of mediastinal lymph nodes was employed for the diagnosis of metastases. The reason for this is that 97% of the mediastinal lymph nodes imaged by USM were located vertically along the body axis of the patient, and hence USM imaged the true short axis of the node in many cases. Our results indicate that USM is useful for performing a safe biopsy of lymph nodes during mediastinoscopy as well as for obtaining a clear imaging of the subcarinal nodes, which are inaccessible by normal cervical mediastinoscopy.     

A case of lung cancer with mediastinal tumor

A 72-year-old female underwent surgical resection of lung cancer and mediastinal tumor. Abnormal shadows on the chest roentgenogram were incidentally detected by the regular health screening. The lung cancer existed in the left upper lobe, and the mediastinal tumor existed in the posterior mediastinum along left side of the spines. Serum CEA level was 299 ng/ml by enzyme immunoassay method. We judged the lung cancer as being in Stage I (T2 N0 M0), and the mediastinal tumor as benign neurogenic tumor unrelated to the lung cancer through detailed examination. Surgical resection of both tumors was performed through left thoracotomy, and the surgical procedure was curative operation. Pathological examination revealed the lung cancer was moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma and the mediastinal tumor was Schwannoma. Eight months after surgery, serum CEA level is 1.1 ng/ml without evidence of recurrence. This experience suggested us that a mediastinal tumor accompanied by lung cancer is not necessarily metastatic tumor, and that curative operation may be possible in these cases.     

Integration of mediastinal staging techniques for lung cancer

Accurate mediastinal staging is important, and many imaging and invasive mediastinal staging tests are available. The data are confusing because patients with particular characteristics (ie, node size or location) are selected for different staging procedures. An approach is presented that integrates the various available tests and selects those tests with the highest ability to answer the question at hand. The goal is to maximize efficiency by enhancing staging accuracy while minimizing the number of tests each patient is subjected to.     

Skip mediastinal nodal metastases in non-small cell lung cancer

Objective: To reveal the incidence and clinical significance of mediastinal nodal metastases without N1-station nodal metastases (‘skip-N2 metastases’) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: A total of 450 NSCLC patients who underwent tumor resection with a systemic mediastinal nodal dissection were retrospectively reviewed. p53 status and proliferative activity represented as proliferative index (PI) were also examined immunohistochemically. Results: Skip-N2 metastases were documented in 49 (13%) patients of all 450 patients; among 334 patients without N1-nodal involvement, 18% patients had skip-N2 metastases. The postoperative survival of skip-N2 patients was almost same as that for patients with metastases to both N1 and N2 nodes. Skip-N2 metastases were significantly more frequent in male patients and squamous cell carcinoma patients. In addition, the mean PI for tumor with skip-N2 metastases was significantly higher than that for any other pathologic nodal (pN)-status diseases. Combined with histologic type and PI, the incidences of skip-N2 metastases for adenocarcinoma showing lower PI were only 5% (7/137) of all patients and 7% (7/94) of patients without N1-nodal involvement. Conclusions: N1 nodal status is not a useful predictor of N2 nodal status in NSCLC, because skip-N2 metastases were documented in 18% patients showing no N1-nodal involvement. However, N1 node-guided dissection might be performed in patients with adenocarcinoma showing lower PI, because the incidence of skip-N2 metastases was extremely low.     

Median approach for upper lobe lung cancer patients with suspected anterior mediastinal invasion

We report the usefulness of a median approach to the mediastinum for the treatment of lung cancer with possible mediastinal invasion. Patient was a 74-year-old man with left S3 squamous cell carcinoma suspected of anterior mediastinal invasion (cT4N0M0) because of hoarseness before surgery. A median sternotomy with partial collar incision was chosen for surgery. The tumor was widely adherent to the anterior mediastinum, invading the common carotid artery and the origin of the left subclavian artery. Left upper lobectomy with ND2a by incomplete resection of the invading portion followed by postoperative radiotherapy was performed. For upper lobe lung cancer with possible mediastinal invasion, a median approach seems to be useful, because it facilitates both easy approach to the anterior mediastinum and the management of invasion of large vessels.     

Thoracoscopic mediastinal lymph node dissection for lung cancer

In lung cancer, mediastinum lymphatic spread occurs. We review our technique and experience of thoracoscopic mediastinal lymphnode dissection (MLND). Between 1997 and 2011, 992 patients with primary lung cancer underwent thoracoscopic major pulmonary resection with MLND. Initially we used a combination of electrocautery and clips to divide blood vessels and lymphatic channels; our current technique relies on a vessel sealing system (VSS) which is expeditious and leads to less lymphorrhea. Furthermore, dissection of station 7 nodes is performed after each main bronchus or right intermediate bronchus is taped with a 0 silk suture, which is then brought out of the thorax through the access incision for antero-lateral retraction of the tracheal carina. We dissect between 3 and 4 N2 lymph node stations and a total of approximately 20 N2 lymph nodes. Postoperative complications related to MLND occurred in 35 of 992 patients (3.5%), 15 (1.5%) for recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, 3 (0.3%) for bilateral vagal injury, 14 (1.4%) for chylothorax and 3 (0.3%) for airway injury. However, none were lethal. Thoracoscopic mediastinal dissection is safe and feasible in treating lung cancer. We believe our technique and VSS are very useful for thoracoscopic MLND.     

Extended resection for lung cancer invading mediastinal organs

We analyzed 49 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer invading mediastinal organs such as the left atrium (15), superior vena cava (13), trachea (11), aorta (5), thoracic vertebral body (4) and esophagus (1). Lung resection included lobectomy (37), pneumonectomy (8) and limited resection (4). Twenty-seven patients underwent carina- or bronchoplasty. Complete resection was possible in 35 patients. Operative mortality was 12% and overall 5-year survival was 13%. Median survival time was 519 days. Factors significantly affecting survival were the completeness of resection, node status, and histological type. Five-year survival was 18% with complete resection and 0% with incomplete resection (p < 0.0001). Five-year survival for patients with squamous cell carcinoma was 36% and for those with other types of lung cancer, 0% (p < 0.02). Five-year survival for patients classified pathologically as N0 or N1 was 36% and, for those classified as N2 or N3, 0% (p < 0.05). We concluded that aggressive resection for lung cancer invading the mediastinal organs involves a high mortality rate, making selectivity important. Patients undergoing complete resection, classified as N0 or N1, and having squamouse cell carcinoma may benefit most from surgery.     

Thoracoscopic mediastinal lymph node dissection for lung cancer

Mediastinal lymph node staging is an important component of the assessment and management of patients with operable non-small cell lung cancer and is necessary to achieve complete resection. During minimally invasive surgery, performance of an equivalent oncologic resection, including adequate lymph node dissection similar in extent to open thoracotomy, is absolutely necessary. We describe our techniques for video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and Robot-assisted VATS (R-VATS) mediastinal lymph node dissection when performing thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer. Between 2008 and 2011, 200 consecutive patients who underwent VATS or R-VATS lobectomies for early stage lung cancer were analyzed. In our series, we removed about 25 lymph nodes per case in both complete VATS and R-VATS. A thorough lymph node dissection in lung cancer is possible with either VATS or R-VATS technique without oncological compromise.     

Reconstruction of great vessel for patients with advanced lung cancer or malignant mediastinal tumor

Fifteen lung cancer (LC) and 11 malignant mediastinal tumor (MMT) patients who received surgical treatment in association with a reconstruction of great vessel from 1981 to 1997 were retrospectively reviewed. The aorta was resected in 7 (AO group) of 15 LC patients and the superior vena cava in the remaining 8 patients (SVC group). Pathological examination revealed actual tumor invasion in one (14%) of AO group and 6 (75%) of SVC group. In 7 p-T4 patients, 6 (85.7%) were p-N2 or N3 diseases. Five of the 6 patients belonged to SVC group and one to AO group. Five-year survival rate was 10% in all LC patients, 20% in p-T3 patients, 0% in p-T4 cancers, 50% in p-N0 patients and 0% in p-N2 or N3 patients. Eleven MMT patients included 5 thymomas, 2 thymic cancers and 4 germ cell tumors. SVC was resected and replaced with ringed PTFE graft in all patients. Invasion of vessel wall was diagnosed pathologically in 10 of 11 patients. Fifteen-year survival rate was 60% in 5 thymoma patients but 4 of whom had distant metastasis. Five-year survival rate was 50% in thymic cancers and 0% in germ cell tumors. Since the prognosis of LC and MMT patients who have tumor invasion of the great vessel is very poor, induction therapy based on preoperatively pathological diagnosis is recommended.     

纵隔淋巴结清扫对Ⅰ期非小细胞肺癌预后的影响

目的探讨纵隔淋巴结清扫范围对I期非小细胞肺癌预后的影响。方法回顾性分析从1994年1月至2003年12月在我院接受手术切除的330例I期非小细胞肺癌患者的临床、病理和随访资料。根据纵隔淋巴结清扫范围将全组患者分为纵隔淋巴结清扫组（LND）和淋巴结取样组（LNS）。运用Kaplan—Meier生存分析和COX比例风险模型,对影响预后的因素进行单因素和多因素分析。结果本组患者男性233例,女性97例;中位年龄60岁。IA期98例,IB期232例。LND组140例,LNS组190例;平均每例患者淋巴结清扫个数两组分别为（13,3±4,7）个和（5,2±3,0）个（P〈0,01）;平均每例患者纵隔淋巴结清扫组数两组分别为（3．7±0,9）组和（1．3±1．1）组（P〈0．01）。LND组5年和10年生存率分别为72,0％和66,1％,LNS组为65,9％和43．0％（P〈0,05）。其他影响预后的因素包括诊断时是否出现症状、肿瘤分期、是否侵犯脏层胸膜和肿瘤大小。COX比例风险模型分析结果显示,淋巴结清扫范围和术前有无症状是影响预后的因素。结论纵隔淋巴结清扫可以提高I期非小细胞肺癌术后的生存率。     

The pattern of mediastinal nodal involvement in lung cancer according to tumor-located lobe]

To clarify the pathway of the metastases from each pulmonary lobe to mediastinal nodes, we examined the pattern of mediastinal nodal involvement in 462 resected pN2 non-small cell lung cancer. Carcinomas of the right upper lobe frequently involved #3 (78/133) and #4 (70/133) nodes, whereas those of the right middle or lower lobe frequently metastasized to #7 nodes (18/23 and 86/113, respectively). On the other hand, carcinoma of left upper lobe frequently involved #5 nodes (81/118), whereas those of the left lower lobe most frequently metastasized to #7 nodes (50/75). Of 462 pN2 patients, 95 (20.6%) had skip metastases to the mediastinal nodes. Skip metastasis was observed more frequently in carcinomas of right upper and middle lobe. One of the reasons of skip metastasis may be the direct lymph drainage through subpleural space to mediastinum.     

Expression of nm23-H1 gene product in mediastinal lymph nodes from lung cancer patients

Objective: Although numerous studies have shown that nm23-H1 gene product expression is inversely related to metastatic potential in some cancers, the expression in lymph nodes has not been studied in detail. An analysis of nm23-H1 gene product expression in mediastinal lymph nodes from lung cancer patients is reported. Methods: One hundred and thirty-four, randomly selected lymph nodes (63 with positive pathological lymph node status) from 39 surgically treated lung cancer patients were examined. Expression of nm23-H1 gene product was determined using specific monoclonal antibodies. Metastatic cancer cells were highlighted using anti-cytokeratin antibody. Results: Expression of nm23-H1 gene product in patients with less and more than 50% nodes-positive was 12/23 (52.2%) and 15/16 (93.8%) cases, respectively. Immunohistochemical studies with cytokeratin revealed micrometastasis in 6/39 (15.4%) patients and 9/71 (12.7%) nodes previously reported as cancer negative. Expression of nm23-H1 gene product in micrometastasis and metastasis-positive nodes was 5/9 (55.6%) and 55/63 (87.3%), respectively. We also found nm23-H1 gene product expression in germinal center cells. However, we found no relationship between expression of nm23-H1 gene product in germinal center cells and extent of metastasis. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates a positive relationship between expression of nm23-H1 gene product and extent of metastasis in mediastinal lymph nodes from lung cancer patients. Our data for normal germinal center cells suggests that nm23-H1 gene product expression does not play a specific biological role in suppressing tumor metastasis in lung cancer.