胸段食管癌颈部及上纵隔淋巴结转移

探讨胸段食管癌颈部及上纵隔淋结转移规律。方法采用颈,胸,腹三切口施行胸段食管癌手术６１６例,同时施行三区域淋巴洁清扫。结果：中及上纵隔淋巴结转移率和转移度分别为５７．１％和２１．５％。结论胸段食管癌必须重颈部及上纵隔淋巴结清扫。     

Management of contralateral N0 neck in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and predictive factors of contralateral occult lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity to form a rational basis for elective contralateral neck management. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 66 patients with cancer of the N0-2 oral cavity undergoing elective neck dissection for contralateral clinically negative necks from 1991 to 2003. RESULTS: Clinically negative but pathologically positive contralateral lymph nodes occurred in 11% (7 of 66). Of the 11 cases with a clinically positive ipsilateral node neck, contralateral occult lymph node metastases developed in 36% (4 of 11), in contrast with 5% (3 of 55) in the cases with clinically N0 ipsilateral necks (p < .05). Based on the clinical staging of the tumor, 8% (3 of 37) of the cases showed lymph node metastases in T2 tumors, 25% (2 of 8) in T3, and 18% (2 of 11) in T4. None of the T1 tumors (10 cases) had pathologically positive lymph nodes. The rate of contralateral occult neck metastasis was significantly higher in advanced-stage cases and those crossing the midline, compared with early-stage or unilateral lesions (p < .05). Patients with no evidence of contralateral nodal cancer had significantly improved disease-specific survival over patients with any pathologically positive nodes (5-year disease-specific survival rate was 79% vs. 43%, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of contralateral occult neck involvement in the oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas above the T3 classification or those crossing the midline with unilateral metastases was high, and patients who presented with a contralateral metastatic neck had a worse prognosis than those whose disease was staged as N0. Therefore, we advocate an elective contralateral neck treatment with surgery or radiotherapy in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma with ipsilateral node metastases or tumors, or both, whose disease is greater than T3 or crossing the midline.     

Prospective management of nodal metastases in differentiated thyroid cancer

Previous studies have concluded that lymph node metastases do not affect survival rates in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma and, therefore, nodal metastasis has not been evaluated as a prognostic factor in recent definitions of risk groups. To determine the significance of nodal disease, we reviewed 227 consecutive patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (173 with papillary, 37 with follicular, and 17 with Hürthle cell carcinoma). Of 70 (31%) patients with lymph node metastases (14 [20%] palpable preoperatively and 56 [80%] detected by routine sampling of middle and lower cervical nodes), 13 (19%) developed a recurrence compared with only 3 of 157 (2%) without nodal disease (p less than 0.01). Sixty-eight patients were treated with modified neck dissection, 63 of whom received adjuvant radioiodine. There were 10 recurrences in 63 patients (16%) who had been treated with radioiodine, compared with 3 recurrences in 7 (42%) patients who did not receive adjuvant radioiodine. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 28 years, with a mean of 8 years. Involvement of the lymph nodes was a marker for systemic disease occurring synchronously in 4 of 5 patients who presented with distant metastases and preceding systemic recurrence in 9 of 10 patients. Four patients (2%), all with lymph node metastases (three with concomitant extrathyroidal invasion and one with systemic metastases at initial presentation), died of thyroid carcinoma. Cervical lymph node metastases were associated with a higher incidence of recurrence and occurred synchronously or preceded the development of distant metastases in 13 of 15 (87%) patients. Although these findings were not statistically significant for overall survival, they lend support to routine cervical lymph node sampling for detection of and modified neck dissection with adjuvant radioiodine therapy for treatment of lymph node metastases. Such measures should reduce the subsequent recurrence rate and permit early detection and treatment of systemic disease.     

Surgical treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue.

INTRODUCTION: Squamous cell carcinoma (SSC) of the tongue base has historically been shown to be associated with a poor prognosis. We reviewed our experience with primary surgery followed by postoperative radiation therapy (XRT) to determine the impact of our treatment protocols on outcome. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients presenting to the University of Pittsburgh with previously untreated SSC of the tongue base between 1980-1997. Patients who were treated nonoperatively were excluded from analysis. Surgical excision of the primary was performed with ipsilateral neck dissection. The contralateral neck was dissected when the primary lesion was located in the midline or for clinically positive contralateral neck nodes. Postoperatively, most patients (93%) received XRT to the primary site and neck. Adjuvant chemotherapy was offered if histologic signs of aggressive behavior were identified (multiple nodes or extracapsular spread). RESULTS: Of 87 patients identified, 39 (45%) were initially seen with T1 or T2 tumors. Seventy-nine patients (91%) were initially seen with stage III or IV disease. Contralateral neck dissection was performed in 36 patients (41%). Metastatic disease was demonstrated in 84% of ipsilateral neck nodes and in 47% of contralateral neck nodes. Occult metastases were found in 61% of clinically N0 necks. Local recurrence occurred in 5 patients, regional recurrence occurred in 12 patients, and distant metastases developed in 22 patients. Overall and disease-specific survival rates at 5 years for all patients were 49% and 56%, respectively. The 5 year disease-specific survival rates for stage I, stage II, stage III, and stage IV disease were 100%, 86%, 62%, and 48%. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 88% for T1 lesions, 64% for T2 lesions, 58% for T3 lesions, and 30% for T4 lesions (p <.05, log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of SCC of the tongue base is highly effective in achieving local disease control and disease-free survival for early lesions. Because both functional outcome and survival are poor after surgical treatment of advanced lesions, we now offer brachytherapy with XRT or participation in a combined chemoradiation protocol rather than primary surgical therapy to patients with advanced disease. Prospective studies are needed to compare the effect of these organ-preserving therapies with traditional combined surgery and XRT to determine the effect on functional outcome and quality of life.     

Positive peritruncal nodes for esophageal carcinoma. not always a dismal prognosis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: For esophageal carcinoma, positive truncal nodes are considered distant metastases, and might be a contraindication for potentially curative surgery. With the development of new diagnostic tools more/smaller peritruncal nodes may be found positive preoperatively. We evaluate whether it is justified to exclude all patients with positive peri-truncal nodes from curative surgery. METHODS: Retrospective study of all patients undergoing transhiatal resection for a mid-/distal esophageal carcinoma between 1993 and 1997. RESULTS: 110 patients underwent transhiatal resection for esophageal carcinoma. Sixteen patients had tumor-positive, resectable peritruncal lymph nodes not identified preoperatively, changing preoperative stage III into postoperative stage IV (M1a). After follow-up of 2.9 years (0.07-7.6), 49 patients (45%) were alive. On multivariate analysis radicality and lymph node status were independent prognostic factors. There was no significant difference in survival between stage III and stage IV (M1a) tumors: 1.7 and 1.5 years, respectively (p = 0.87). At the end of follow-up, 4/16 patients (25%) with stage IV (M1a) disease were alive without evidence of disease. CONCLUSION: The presence of malignant cells in small, resectable peritruncal nodes does not preclude long-term survival. The results of new diagnostic modalities should be interpreted cautiously, until firm criteria for irresectability/incurability of positive truncal nodes are established.     

Parotid metastasis--an independent prognostic factor for head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Metastatic parotid cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common parotid gland malignancy in New Zealand and Australia. The current AJCC TNM staging system does not account for the extent of nodal metastasis. A staging system that separates parotid (P stage) from neck disease (N stage) has been proposed recently. AIM: To review the outcome of patients with metastatic head and neck cutaneous SCC treated at our multidisciplinary Head and Neck Service using the proposed staging system. METHOD: Consecutive patients were culled from our Head and Neck/Skull Base Database, 1990-2004. These patients were restaged according to the proposed staging system: P stage: P0 = no disease in the parotid (i.e., neck disease only); P1 = metastatic node < or = 3 cm; P2=metastatic node > 3 cm and < or =6 cm, or multiple nodes; and P3 = metastatic node > 6 cm, or disease involving the facial nerve or skull base. N stage: N0=no disease in the neck (i.e., parotid disease only); N1 = single ipsilateral metastatic node < or = 3 cm; and N2 = multiple metastatic nodes, or any node > 3 cm, or contralateral neck involvement. Loco-regional recurrence and disease-specific survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and comparison of graphs made with the log-rank test. Multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model was carried out to assess the impact of various parameters. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients with metastatic head and neck cutaneous SCC were identified. Thirty-seven patients had parotid metastasis (of whom 13 also had neck disease) while 21 had neck metastasis alone. Nine patients had dermal or soft tissue metastasis. These nine patients were excluded from this series, and data analysis was carried out on the remaining 58 (46 men, 12 women, mean age 71 years) patients. Sixty-seven percent of the patients underwent post-operative adjuvant radiotherapy. The five-year disease-specific survival rate was 54%. Among 56 patients followed up to disease recurrence or for a minimum period of 18 months, the loco-regional recurrence rate was 52%. The presence of parotid disease was an independent prognostic factor on survival (p < 0.01), and P3 fared significantly worse than P1 and P2. Those patients who had both parotid and neck disease fared worse than those who had parotid or neck disease alone (p = 0.01). N2 had a significantly poorer outcome compared with N1 (p < 0.01). Immunosuppression (p = 0.01) and a positive surgical margin (p < 0.01) were significant adverse prognostic factors for survival. Adjuvant radiotherapy, extracapsular spread, and perineural and vascular invasion did not influence survival. Our study demonstrates that the extent of parotid disease is an independent prognostic factor for metastatic head and neck cutaneous SCC.     

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue in young adults: a case series

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue (SCCOT) in the young population has emerged as a growing worldwide health problem. Standard therapies, consisting primarily of surgery with possible adjuvant radiotherapy, have resulted in only modest improvements in survival in recent decades, whereas the treatments for SCCOT continue to impair oral function. With the increased use and improved functional results of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of other upper aerodigestive tract sites, we have reviewed our experience with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in young patients with SCCOT. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of all patients younger than 45 years (N = 49) with previously untreated SCCOT evaluated at a comprehensive cancer center from July 1995 to August 2001. Charts were reviewed to obtain demographic data, comorbidities, nutritional status, tumor status, treatment and response information, and follow-up data. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were identified who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with taxane-based regimens before undergoing glossectomy and neck dissection. Thirteen of these patients (87%) exhibited stage III or IV disease at presentation, and all exhibited at least a partial response at the primary site. Pathologically positive nodes were identified in only six patients (40%), although 13 (87%) had clinically or radiographically suspicious nodes at presentation. Adjuvant radiation therapy was administered to seven patients (47%). With a median follow-up of 39 months, no patient has had local or regional recurrence, although three patients (20%) have had distant metastases develop; one patient with an isolated distant metastasis was successfully salvaged with radiation. By comparison during the same period, 34 young adult patients with SCCOT were treated with surgery with or without postoperative radiotherapy but without the use of chemotherapy. Although these patients had lower T classifications (18% vs 67% T3/T4; p = .0007), incidence of nodal metastases (15% vs 87% N+; p < .0001), and overall disease stage (24% vs 87% stage III/IV; p < .0001) than the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, the overall survival (82%), disease-specific survival (88%), and recurrence-free survival (82%) of the surgery-first group was similar to that of the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group (87%, 87%, and 80%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective investigation demonstrates that neoadjuvant chemotherapy with taxane-based regimens may play a role in the successful treatment of SCCOT in young adult patients. Ultimately, this treatment plan may lead to improved functional outcomes in young patients with SCCOT by allowing function-sparing surgery and avoiding postoperative radiotherapy, without sacrificing disease control and survival, but a prospective trial is needed. We have initiated a prospective clinical trial to further investigate the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients younger than 50 with SCCOT.     

Carcinoma of the tonsillar fossa: a nonrandomized comparison of irradiation alone or combined with surgery: long-term results

The results of therapy are reported in 296 patients with histologically proven epidermoid carcinoma of the tonsillar fossa; 127 were treated with irradiation alone (5,500 to 7,000 cGy), 133 with preoperative radiotherapy (2,000 to 3,000 cGy) or were initially planned for preoperative irradiation but treated with radiotherapy alone, and 36 with postoperative irradiation (5,000 to 6,000 cGy). The operation in all but 4 patients consisted of an en bloc radical tonsillectomy with ipsilateral lymph node dissection. Actuarial 5-year no evidence of disease (NED) was as follows: survival rates for patients with T1 tumors, 76%; T2, 54%; T3, 45%; and T4, 20%. Patients with no cervical lymphadenopathy or with a small metastatic lymph node (N1) had better relapse-free survival (60% to 70% at 5 years) than those with large or fixed lymph nodes (30% to 40%). Primary tumor recurrence rate in the T1-T2 groups was about 20% in patients treated with irradiation and surgery and 30% for those treated with irradiation alone (difference not statistically significant), 30% in patients with stage T3 lesions in all treatment groups, and 33% in patients with T4 disease treated with surgery and postoperative irradiation compared to 52% with irradiation alone (p = 0.03). The overall recurrence rate in the neck was about 20% for the N0 patients, 25% for N1, and 30% for those with N2 and N3 cervical lymph nodes in the 4 treatment groups. The incidence of contralateral neck recurrences was about 8% with the various treatment modalities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Evaluation of neck lymph node dissection for thoracic esophageal carcinoma

We studied a series of 150 patients treated for thoracic esophageal carcinoma at our institution. The patients were divided into two matched groups. Group B underwent transthoracic esophagectomy with mediastinal and abdominal lymphadenectomy only; group A also underwent bilateral neck lymph node dissection. The rates of operative mortality and operative complications did not differ significantly between the two groups. The 5-year survival rate was 38.7% overall (48.7% in group A and 33.7% in group B). Group A had a significantly better survival curve than group B. Twenty patients (26.0%) in group A had metastasis in the dissected neck lymph nodes. The 4-year survival rate of these patients was 47.9%. The significantly better survival of group A and the satisfactory prognosis in the patients with positive cervical lymph nodes demonstrates the effectiveness of neck lymph node dissection in radical operation for thoracic esophageal carcinoma.     

Localized carcinoma of the external ear is an unrecognized aggressive disease with a high propensity for local regional recurrence.

Management problems in patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the external ear (pinna) have prompted a review of the management and treatment outcomes of patients who present with localized disease. Forty patients were seen over a 15-year period (1972 to 1991). Thirty-six were men, and 4 were women, with an age range from 43 to 93 years (average age: 71 years). Presenting TNM status was stage 0 in 2 patients, stage I in 15 patients, stage II in 13 patients, stage III in 2 patients, stage IV in 4 patients, and unknown stage in 4 patients. Thirty-six patients had clinically negative nodes at presentation (N0), and 4 had palpable nodes (N+). The primary treatment was local excision in 13 patients, Mohs' micrographic surgery in 16 patients, local excision plus external beam radiotherapy in 4 patients, and radical resection (parotidectomy/neck dissection/mastoidectomy) with or without radiotherapy in 5 patients. Two patients with stage IV disease died after diagnosis and prior to treatment, and two other patients with stage IV disease received palliative chemotherapy. Twenty patients developed recurrence from 2 months to 8 years. It included nine local recurrences, eight regional recurrences (parotid/neck/mastoid), and three distant metastases (lung or brain). After treatment of the recurrences in 20 patients, 8 are alive 15 months to 16 years later, 2 patients died of other diseases, and 10 patients died of SCC. The recurrences were managed by reoperation, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. From the results of this study, we conclude that localized carcinoma of the external ear has a high propensity for local and regional failure and merits more aggressive treatment of the primary lesion and elective treatment of the regional lymph nodes and parotid gland in high-risk patients.     

Risk factors for late cervical lymph node metastases in patients with stage I or II carcinoma of the tongue

BACKGROUND: Many histopathologic parameters in squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue have been identified as predictive factors for cervical lymph metastasis. However, predictive factors for occult cervical lymph node metastases and the criterion for elective therapy remain inconclusive. This study analyzed the clinicopathologic factors associated with late cervical lymph node metastases in patients with carcinoma of the tongue. METHODS: The clinicopathologic features of 50 consecutive patients seen between January 1985-December 1996 with previously untreated stage I or II squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue were reviewed. All patients were treated with partial glossectomy without elective neck dissection. Their mean age was 54.5 y (range, 23-90 y) and the male-female ratio was 1.2:1 (27 men and 23 women); 30 cases were stage I, and 20 cases were stage II. Clinicopathologic factors were analyzed to determine factors predicting late cervical lymph node metastasis. RESULTS: The overall cervical lymph node metastasis rate was 14.0% (7 of 50). Clinicopathologic factors significantly associated with the development of cervical lymph node metastasis were tumor size (> or =30 mm), tumor depth (> or =4 mm), differentiation, mode of invasion, microvascular invasion, and histologic grade of malignancy. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue with tumor depth > or =4 mm had predictive value for late cervical lymph node metastasis and diminished overall survival (odds ratio, 10.0; p =.02; hazards ratio, 7.0; p =.039). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study demonstrate tumor depth > or =4 mm moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue have a substantially higher rate of late cervical metastases. In the basis of these data, it is our recommendation that this be used in the decision to electively treat the neck.     

Improved survival for patients with clinically T1/T2, N0 tongue tumors undergoing a prophylactic neck dissection.

BACKGROUND: Prophylactic surgical treatment of the neck in "early tongue tumors" is a controversial issue. METHODS: From a database of 226 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue treated at Canniesburn Hospital, Glasgow, U.K., between 1980 and 1996, a total of 137 patients with a minimum follow up of 24 months or until death were clinically identified as being T1/T2, N0 (UICC) when first seen. These patients were divided into three groups according to the management of the neck; 53 patients did not have a neck dissection at any time (NKD0), 47 patients underwent a synchronous neck dissection at the time of treatment of the primary (NKDS), and 37 patients subsequently required a metachronous neck dissection when lymph node metastasis became clinically apparent (NKDM). These three groups were compared with respect to age, sex, site, duration of symptoms, previous treatment (if any), initial treatment protocol, resection margin, type of neck dissection (if any), loco-regional recurrence, systemic escape, number of positive lymph nodes, and presence of extracapsular spread. Disease-related survival was calculated using Kaplan-Meier survival curves with logrank test and chi-square statistical analysis. RESULTS: The pT stage was upgraded to T3/4 in 3/53 patients (6%) of the NKD0 group, 11/47 patients (23%) of the NKDS group, and 2/37 patients (5%) of the NKDM group (p < 0.001). The 5-year determinate survival rates for the three groups were: NKD0 59.7%, NKDS 80.5%, NKDM 44.8%, and (NKD0 + NKDM) 53.6% with a statistically significant improvement in survival for NKDS vs NKDM (logrank 10.58, p = 0.001) and for NKDS vs (NKD0 + NKDM) (logrank 6.06, p = 0.014). The incidences of positive nodes in the NKDS and NKDM groups were 18/47 patients (38%) and 32/37 patients (86%) respectively. Neck positive patients in the NKDM group had a significantly greater number of positive nodes in comparison with N positive patients in the NKDS group (chi trend, p = 0.001), a higher incidence of extracapsular spread, 30/32 vs 9/18 (chi test, p < 0. 0001), and decreased survival. The incidence of occult cervical metastasis for the whole group was 41%. CONCLUSION: Patients with clinical T1/2, N0 tongue tumors who underwent a synchronous neck dissection had an improved survival outcome even though as a group they had a higher incidence of occult metastasis, relatively more T2 lesions, a worse pT stage, and had more posterior third lesions requiring more difficult initial surgery. Tongue tumors have a high incidence of subclinical nodal disease, which is less curable when it presents clinically. The information gleaned from the nodal status allows a more informed plan of adjuvant therapy.     

Prognostic significance of the distribution of neck node metastasis from oral carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Carcinoma of the oral cavity presents a high risk for neck metastasis, which reduces the probability of regional control and survival. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study is to analyze prognostic implications of the distribution of neck metastasis in 513 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients underwent surgery from 1970-1992. Tumor stages were I, 63; II, 120; III, 173; and IV, 157. Neck dissections were performed in 448 patients (115 bilateral). RESULTS: By use of multivariate regression techniques the level of lymph node involvement was the most important prognostic factor (relative risks from 1.8 to 2.5). The following variables were also associated with prognosis: mobility of lymph nodes, sex, T stage, age, and tumor thickness. CONCLUSIONS: The level of ipsilateral lymph node involvement was the most significant prognostic factor patients with in oral cancer who underwent surgical treatment. A significant decrease in survival also was seen with regard to the involvement of multiple contralateral lymph nodes. Our results support the indication of elective neck dissections in high-risk patients because among the cases that had metastases at follow-up, 50% were not candidates for salvage treatment.     

超声检查对甲状腺癌术后复发、转移的评估

目的:探讨超声检查在甲状腺癌术后复发、转移中的评估价值。方法:回顾性分析38例甲状腺癌术后复发、转移病人的病史资料、病灶的超声表现及不同部位的超声诊断灵敏度。结果:38例复发、转移者中乳头状癌28例(73.7%),髓样癌5例(13.2%),滤泡状癌4例(10.5%),并发乳头状癌和髓样癌1例(2.6%)。原手术区域局部复发8例,对侧复发11例,局部复发合并累及气管7例,侵犯颈内静脉6例,侵犯颈动脉4例;颈部淋巴结转移24例,锁骨上淋巴结转移12例,纵隔淋巴结转移2例,肺转移1例,部位以颈部淋巴结转移最多(63.2%),超声诊断灵敏度则以对侧复发最高(90.9%)。结论:甲状腺癌术后复发、转移以局部和颈部淋巴结多见,超声检查是重要的评估手段。     

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung: an aggressive disease potentially treatable with surgery

BACKGROUND: Assessment of clinical and pathologic features of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma to confirm its specificity in the setting of high grade neuroendocrine pulmonary tumors. METHODS: From 1989 to 2001, 123 patients with a neuroendocrine carcinoma were surgically treated in a curative intent at a single institution. According to the 1999 World Health Organization classification, 20 patients were reviewed as having a large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Clinical data as well as detailed pathologic analysis and survival were collected. RESULTS: There were 18 men and 2 women. The median age was 62 years. Four patients had a preoperative diagnosis of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. The resections consisted of 14 lobectomies and 6 pneumonectomies. There was no operative death. Complications occurred in 7 patients (35%). Four patients had a stage I of the disease, 4 had stage II, 9 had stage III, and 3 had stage IV. At follow-up (median, 46 months), 13 patients died from general recurrence and 7 patients were still alive. Median time to progression was 9 months (range, 1 to 54 months). The 5-year survival rate was 36% (median, 49 months) and it seemed to be negatively influenced by the disease stage (54% for stage I-II vs 25% for stage III-IV; p = 0.07), the presence of metastatic lymph node (45% for N0/N1 vs 17% for N2; p = 0.12), or vessel invasion (66 vs 25%; p = 0.18). CONCLUSIONS: Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma predominantly occurred in men. An accurate tissue diagnosis was rarely obtained preoperatively. Although overall survival after resection was substantial, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma frequently showed pathologic features of occult metastatic disease, such as lymph node or vessel invasion, or both.     

Surgical treatment for stage IV lung cancer

OBJECTIVE: To find out the optimal surgical indication in stage IV lung cancer patients, we evaluated them retrospectively. METHODS & RESULTS: From 1975 to 2005, 62 patients without multiple metastases were operated at our hospital. The most common histological type was adenocarcinoma (67.7%). The metastatic lesions were lung (33.9%), brain (24.2%), liver, bone, adrenal gland and so on. The overall survival rate of stage IV lung cancer was 10.4% at 5-year. Five-year survival for patients with lung or brain metastasis who had no lymph node metastasis were significantly more superior than those with lymph node metastasis (p=0.0389, 0.0021). Four of 62 patients had 5-year survival. Two were lung and the others were brain and adrenal gland metastasis without lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSION: Stage IV lung cancer with lung or brain or adrenal gland metastasis without lymph node metastasis should be resected.     

Lymph node metastasis and the recurrence of esophageal carcinoma with emphasis on lymphadenectomy in the neck and superior mediastinum

A series of 335 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus undergoing resection and reconstruction via a right thoracotomy and laparotomy with cervical anastomosis between 1973 and 1990, were reviewed. Prior to 1982, the removal of lymph nodes was limited to the nodes in the mediastinum below the tracheal bifurcation and upper abdomen (142 patients). Nodal metastases were found in 89 of these patients at operation. The upper abdominal nodes were the most frequent sites of metastasis (47.2%). None of the 38 patients with positive nodes sampled from the neck and superior mediastinum survived for more than 45 months. In the 50 patients with recurrences, 30 were in the neck and/or superior mediastinum. During or after 1983, the superior mediastinal nodes, particularly the bilateral recurrent nerve nodal chains, were routinely removed (193 patients). Nodal metastasis was proven in 131 of the 193 patients, in whom 87 (45.1%) had metastasis in the neck and superior mediastinum. Eleven of these 87 patients survived for 45 months or more. In the 61 patients with recurrences, 20 were in the neck and/or superior mediastinum. These data suggest that recurrent nerve nodal chains should be removed to improve survival in patients with esophageal carcinoma.     

分化型甲状腺癌颈淋巴结转移规律的研究

目的 探讨分化型甲状腺癌患者颈淋巴结的转移规律及分化型甲状腺癌颈部淋巴结外科处理模式.方法 回顾性分析2003年1月至2007年6月104例(117侧)行颈淋巴结清扫术的分化型甲状腺癌患者的临床病理资料,其中男性29例,女性75例,年龄12～79岁,中位年龄39岁.根据术前临床体检和影像学检查结果分为临床淋巴结阳性(cN+)和阴性(cNO)两组,分别与术后病理结果作比较.结果 cN+组69侧颈清扫标本中pN+者63侧(91.3%),pNO者6侧(8.7%);oNO组48侧中pN+者25侧(52.1%),pNO者23侧(47.9%).颈部转移淋巴结的分布以Ⅵ区最为常见,为64.1%,其次为Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ区,分别为31.6%、44.4%、40.2%,V区较少见为12.0%,I区最少见为3.2%;cN+组pN+者86.7%(54/63)为多个分区转移,cNO组pN+者64.0%(16/25)为单个分区转移.结论 分化型甲状腺癌颈淋巴结转移以Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅵ区为主,尤以Ⅵ区最常见.cN+组以多个分区转移为主,cNO组以单个分区转移为主,二组患者颈淋巴结的外科处理方式也应有所不同.     

Significance of intramammary lymph nodes in the staging of breast cancer: correlation with tumor characteristics and outcome

Intramammary lymph nodes (intraMLNs) have received little attention as potential prognostic indicators for patients with breast carcinoma. Patients with stage I breast carcinoma and positive intraMLN metastases have been reported to have a poorer prognosis compared to patients with similar stage and negative intraMLN metastases. However, the presence of intraMLN metastases does not appear to influence the survival of patients with stage II breast carcinoma. In the current retrospective analysis, we assessed the clinical significance of intraMLNs and evaluated their role in predicting outcome in patients with breast carcinoma. Between 1995 and 2005, 116 intraMLN specimens were identified. In all, 59 patients (50.8%) were found in association with benign breast conditions and the remaining 57 (49.2%) with primary breast carcinoma. Primary tumor characteristics and axillary lymph node (AxLN) status were recorded. Outcome data were documented. Statistical analysis was performed to detect correlation between intraMLN and tumor characteristics as well as outcome. IntraMLN metastases were found in 26% of all in-situ and invasive cancer cases (15/57), and 32% (15/47) of invasive cancer cases only. Most patients (80%) who had intraMLN metastases also had axillary metastases; however, an isolated intraMLN metastasis was documented in one patient (7%). Univariate analysis revealed that predictors of intraMLN metastases include: tumor size (p = 0.04), tumor grade (p = 0.04), tumor stage (p < 0.001), and AxLN status (p < 0.001). Furthermore patients with intraMLN positive for metastases have a poorer 4-year overall (40% versus 88%; p < 0.001) and disease-free survival (37% versus 83%; p < 0.001) than patients with negative intraMLN. On multivariate analysis, intraMLN metastasis is not an independent predictor of outcome (disease-free survival: p = 0.350; and overall survival p = 0.138). IntraMLN metastasis is a poor prognostic marker but not an independent predictor of poor outcome in patients with breast carcinoma.     

Long-term results of subtotal esophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy for carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the impact of aggressive surgery on survival in patients with carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Prognostic value of lymph-node status for patients with esophageal carcinoma was emphasized, although it is currently under debate whether extensive lymph node dissection improves survival. METHODS: Two hundred ninety-five patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma were admitted to Kagoshima University Hospital from December 1982 to December 1990. Esophagectomy was performed on 244 (82.7%) of these patients; 106 of whom underwent three-field lymphadenectomy (bilateral cervical, mediastinal, and abdominal regions) were analyzed regarding lymph-node status, tumor recurrence, and the effect of prognostic factors on survival using Cox's proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Hospital mortality and morbidity were 10.4% (11/106) and 65.1%, respectively. Seventy-eight patients (73.6%) had nodal involvement, including 49 patients with abdominal lymph-node metastases and 46 patients with recurrent nerve-node metastases. Five-year survival rates were 54.5% for 16 patients with a solitary nodal metastasis, 30.3% for stage III, 17.4% for stage IV, and 7.2% for 28 patients with six or more metastatic nodes. The most frequent sites of recurrence were the upper mediastinal region and the lung--its incidence increased significantly as the number of positive nodes increased. The most unfavorable prognostic factors included regional or recurrent nerve-node metastasis and patient age of more than 71 years. CONCLUSIONS: Three-field lymphadenectomy, including especially the removal of bilateral recurrent nerve nodes in the cervical region, is essential for improving the survival of patients with carcinoma of the upper two thirds of the thoracic esophagus.