Lymph node metastasis from hilar cholangiocarcinoma: audit of 110 patients who underwent regional and paraaortic node dissection

OBJECTIVE: To assess the status of the regional and paraaortic lymph nodes in hilar cholangiocarcinoma and to clarify the efficacy of systematic extended lymphadenectomy. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: There have been no studies in which regional and paraaortic lymphadenectomies for hilar cholangiocarcinoma have been routinely performed. Therefore, the metastasis rates to the regional and paraaortic nodes, the mode of lymphatic spread, and the effect of extended lymph node dissection on survival remain unknown. METHODS: This study involved 110 patients who underwent surgical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma with lymph node dissection including both the regional and paraaortic nodes. A total of 2,652 nodes retrieved from the surgical specimens were examined microscopically. RESULTS: Of the 110 patients, 52 (47.3%) had no involved nodes, 39 (35.5%) had regional lymph node metastases, and 19 (17.3%) had regional and paraaortic node metastases. The incidence of positive nodes was significantly higher in the patients with pT3 disease than in those with pT2 disease. The pericholedochal nodes were most commonly involved (42.7%), followed by the periportal nodes (30.9%), the common hepatic nodes (27.3%), and the posterior pancreaticoduodenal nodes (14.5%). The celiac and superior mesenteric nodes were rarely involved. The 3-year and 5-year survival rates were 55.4% and 30.5% for the 52 patients without involved nodes, 31.8% and 14.7% for the 39 patients with regional node metastases, and 12.3% and 12.3% for the 19 patients with paraaortic node metastases, respectively. Of the 19 patients with positive paraaortic nodes, 7 had no macroscopic evidence of paraaortic disease on intraoperative inspection. The survival in this group was significantly better than in the remaining 12 patients. CONCLUSION: The paraaortic nodes and the regional nodes are frequently involved in advanced hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Whether extended lymph node dissection provides a survival benefit requires further study. However, the fact that long-term survival is possible despite pN2 or pM1 disease encourages the authors to perform an aggressive surgical procedure with extended lymph node dissection in selected patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.     

Rationale of paraaortic lymph nodes dissection for advanced gallbladder cancer

Paraaortic lymph nodes dissection was performed routinely in 28 patients with advanced gallbladder cancer who underwent curative or relative non-curative resection. In 10 patients out of 28 (36%), metastasis was found in the dissected paraaortic nodes. The incidence of paraaortic lymph nodes metastasis was 50% when the gallbladder serosa or adjacent organs were involved by cancer. If routine paraaortic lymph nodes dissection had not been carried out, the operation would be regarded as curative in 4 patients out of 10 with paraaortic lymph nodes metastasis. The incidence of paraaortic lymph nodes metastasis was twice higher than that of the mesenteric root and the metastatic route was possibly derived directly from the retroportal and/or retropancreactic nodes. Therefore, we emphasize that the paraaortic nodes should be regarded as the nodes between the 2nd group such as the retroportal or retropancreatic nodes and the 3rd group including the nodes of mesenteric root. In spite of positive paraaortic nodes, mean survival time of the patients without other non-curative factors was 26 months and the longest survival was 42 months. It seems that paraaortic nodes dissection has palliative effects to prolong the survival period of those patients. Paraaortic lymph nodes dissection should be employed in radical operative procedures for advanced gallbladder cancer.     

Significance of extended radical operation for advanced gastric cancer of stage IV

The significance of extended radical operation (gastric resection with R3 and paraaortic lymph-node mean value of R4 dissection) was retrospectively studied in 1,363 cases (1968-1987) of advanced gastric cancer in Stage IV. For liver metastasis, gastric and R2 lymph node resection with transcatheter arterial embolization or chemoembolization was superior to liver resection. The operative results showed that 5-year survival rate of radical dissection of RO-2 was 19.3% and that of R3-4 was 34.6% (p less than 0.05). It also suggested that the operation was effective in 78% of patients with POHO and POHO, ow(-) and aw(-). As a conclusion, extended radical operation is significant as the treatment of advanced gastric cancer in Stage IV.     

Aggressive surgery for stage IV gallbladder carcinoma; what are the contraindications?

Background/Purpose Advanced gallbladder carcinoma with paraaortic lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis is normally considered a contraindication for surgery. Our latest analyses suggest otherwise. Methods Records of 166 patients who underwent surgery for stage IV gallbladder carcinoma were reviewed retrospectively. Predictors of hospital mortality and long-term survival were analyzed. Long-term survival in patients with paraaortic lymph node metastasis and/or distant metastasis was also determined. Results Fifteen patients were 5-year survivors, with a 5-year survival rate of 12% among the 166 patients investigated. Overall hospital mortality was 14%. Male sex and portal vein resection were independent predictors of hospital mortality. Multivariate analysis of long-term survival failed to identify independent predictors. Patients with distant metastasis were divided into two groups based on whether or not the metastases were distant from the liver. Patients with paraaortic lymph node metastasis who underwent curative resection or who had isolated liver metastasis survived longer than those with other distant metastasis or those with unresectable advanced cancer. Conclusions Patients with advanced gallbladder carcinoma can benefit from surgical resection even when paraaortic lymph node metastasis and/or liver metastasis are present. However, surgical indications in advanced disease should be determined on an individual basis, based on clinical status.     

Tumoren des oberen Gastrointestinaltrakts

The appropriate extent of lymph node dissection in tumors of the upper gastro-intestinal tract continues to be debated. The basic tenet of surgical oncology that cancerous lymph nodes are indicators not governors of survival is under question and derives from the different theories of metastasis. Is the metastatic flow linear (indicators) or does it occur in parallel to tumorigenesis (governor)? If the latter theory is true there would be only a limited indication for lymphadenectomy (LA). Extended LA leads to an ameliorated staging of the N category. Following LA locoregional tumor control is significantly improved for esophageal and gastric cancer. In case of gastric cancer it is evident that there is a group of patients in which extended LA lead to improved long-term survival. This gain in prognosis affects patients in which lymph node metastasis is not or only slightly advanced. In locally advanced tumors there is no prognostic benefit. Patients who might benefit from the extended procedure cannot be assessed during preoperative staging. Therefore, the indications for the procedure should be liberally carried out by experienced hands and in experienced centers. According to randomized studies there is no indication for extended radical LA in pancreatic cancer.     

Less invasive surgery for early gastric cancer based on the low probability of lymph node metastasis

BACKGROUND: Less invasive treatment is the current trend in many surgical fields. Most patients with early gastric cancer do not have lymph node metastasis. Thus extensive resection of the stomach and extended lymph node dissection do not appear to be necessary. METHODS: In a retrospective study, 890 consecutive patients with early gastric cancer who had undergone standard gastrectomy were assessed for depth of invasion, gross appearance, and maximum diameter of the tumor to examine the possibility of limiting the extent of lymph node dissection. A variety of limited gastrectomies have been developed and now include endoscopic mucosal resection, wedge resection, segmental gastrectomy, limited proximal gastrectomy, and distal hemigastrectomy. RESULTS: A retrospective study revealed that extensive lymph node dissection did not improve the survival of patients with early gastric cancer. Endoscopic mucosal resection was suitable for cancers of the depressed type of less than 1 cm in diameter and the elevated type of less than 2 cm in diameter. Wedge, segmental, or limited proximal gastrectomy was suitable for the elevated type of 2 to 3 cm in diameter. The elevated type of more than 3 cm in diameter and the depressed type of 1 to 3 cm in diameter sometimes involved metastasis to group 1 nodes. The depressed type of more than 3 cm in diameter sometimes involved metastasis to group 2 nodes. Thus such cases should be treated by gastrectomy with dissection of potentially metastatic lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: Limitation of the extent of gastrectomy and lymph node dissection may be possible, depending on the gross appearance and size of the tumor.     

Disease-free survival for 6 years and 4 months after dissection of recurrent abdominal paraaortic nodes (No. 16) in gastric cancer: Report of a case

We herein report the case of a 63-year-old woman who underwent curative surgery consisting of a subtotal gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection for advanced stomach cancer in June 1984, and later underwent systemic dissection of recurrent abdominal paraaortic lymph nodes by a retromesenteric approach in June 1989. Metastatic nodes were found in nos. 16b1 (interaorticocaval), 16b2 (interaorticocaval), and 280 (aortic carinal). One of the resected nodes, which was histologically diagnosed as being poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, measured approximately 10×7 cm and infiltrated the inferior caval vein. There was no distant metastasis except for nodal metastases. Since the reoperation, the patient has been disease-free for 6 years and 4 months, and she continues to visit our hospital as an outpatient. The findings of this case therefore suggest the significance of paraaortic lymph node dissection. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the world of a gastric cancer patient who has remained disease-free for more than 5 years after the systemic dissection of recurrent paraaortic lymph nodes.     

Postoperative adjuvante Chemoradiotherapie beim Hochrisikomagenkarzinom

Gastric cancer is a common cancer worldwide with a high mortality rate. Despite curative intent resection, locoregional failure as a frequent site of recurrence is responsible in part for this high mortality. Many attempts have been made to decrease the risk of recurrence after resection. Studies involving postoperative chemotherapy as a single modality have not clearly demonstrated benefit. Similarly, most studies of postoperative radiation therapy have not clearly shown an improvement in overall survival. Recently, however, a USA Intergroup study indicated a survival advantage for chemoradiation therapy compared to surgery alone for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. “Intergroup-116” is a large-scale randomized trial designed to evaluate the role of adjuvant chemotherapy plus radiotherapy following curative intent gastric resection. The data from this study demonstrate a survival benefit with adjuvant chemoradiation that may in large part be due to better locoregional control. While many patients had a less then adequate lymph node dissection, survival was not associated with the type of lymph node dissection performed. Toxicity was acceptable. “Intergroup-116” indicates that postoperative chemoradiation should be considered as a standard care option for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. Future studies should evaluate potentially more effective systemic therapy, molecularly-directed treatment, and possibly, whether or not more formal lymph node dissections would obviate the need for radiation.     

Survival benefit of lateral lymph node dissection according to the region of involvement and the number of lateral lymph nodes involved

Purpose

The effectiveness of lateral lymph node dissection for extending the survival of patients with advanced lower rectal cancer remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the survival benefit of lateral lymph node dissection according to the region of involvement and the number of lateral lymph nodes involved.

Methods

We reviewed 131 consecutive patients with advanced lower rectal cancer, who had undergone curative resection with total mesorectal excision plus extended lateral lymph node dissection at Wakayama Medical University Hospital. Twenty-six (19.1 %) of these patients had lateral lymph involvement. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses for the 3-year disease-free and overall survival of these patients.

Results

Multivariate analysis revealed that the number (>1) and the region (common iliac artery region or external iliac artery region) of lateral lymph node metastasis are independent predictive factors for recurrence and survival. The Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated that patients with one lymph node metastasis in the internal iliac artery or obturator region had better survival.

Conclusions

Lateral lymph node dissection resulted in survival benefit for patients with single lateral lymph node involvement in the internal iliac artery region or the obturator region.     

Aggressive surgical treatment for T4 gastric cancer

Surgical treatment for locally advanced gastric cancer remains controversial, and many still question the benefits of extended resection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of combined resection of the involved organs with regard to survival in patients with gastric cancer. Between 1993 and 2000, among the 1638 patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy, 82 were found to have evidence of adjacent organ spread at laparotomy. A retrospective analysis of these patients was performed. Curative resections were carried out in 50 patients, whereas noncurative resections were performed in 32 patients. The 5-year survival rate in the group undergoing curative resection was 36.9%. The survival rate in the R0 group was significantly higher than the survival rate for patients undergoing noncurative resections. There was no significant difference in survival rates between patients with pT3 cancer and those with pT4 cancer. Seventy-one patients were pathologically proved to have lymph node metastasis, and the survival rate for patients with a lymph node ratio greater than 0.2 was lower than that in other groups. In multivariate analysis, peritoneal dissemination, lymph node ratio, and histologic findings were the predictors of survival. Patients with T4 gastric carcinoma, even with lymph node metastasis, might have benefited from aggressive surgery with curative intent.     

Possible role of lymph node dissection in the surgical treatment of gastric cancer with disseminating peritoneal metastasis

qathological background factors of patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastasis were studied. In palliatively gastrectomized patients, there was a close relationship between the extent of cancer invasion to the gastric serosa and postoperative survival; the less extensive the serosal invasion, the longer was the survival time. The relationship between the extent of lymph node dissection and postoperative survival showed that, in the presence of metastasis to Group 1 and 2 lymph nodes, many of the long-term survivors had undergone dissection of these lymph nodes. Although a sweeping conclusion should be avoided since retrospective analysis forms the basis of this report, it is assumed that in patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastasis, surgery should not be confined to resection of the primary focus, but should include regional lymph node dissection.     

Significance of extended radical surgery for stage IV gastric cancer

Forty percent of patients with gastric cancer with direct infiltration to adjacent organs survived for more than 5 years after curative resection. Favorable results were obtained in cases in which combined resection of the body of the pancreas or the liver was performed due to cancer infiltration. However, patients who had undergone gastrectomy with combined colectomy or pancreatoduodenectomy showed a poor survival rate. The postoperative 5-year survival rate was 29% for patients who had presented with group 3 lymph node metastasis and undergone potentially curative surgery. Particularly, favorable results were obtained in cases with metastases confined to lymph nodes in the hepatoduodenal ligament. In dissection of the deepest nodes, lymph nodes in the hepatoduodenal ligament is the most important to remove in surgery for stage IV gastric cancer. We have performed gastrectomy combined with dissection of group 1 and 2 lymph nodes in the treatment of patients with gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis. Results obtained so far revealed that only patients with a lesser extent of serosal invasion survived longer after operation. We are presently conducting a trial of hyperthermia combined with anticancer chemotherapy as a possible method for prolongation of survival of patients with peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer.     

进展期胃癌腹主动脉旁淋巴结微小转移与患者预后的关系

目的研究进展期胃癌腹主动脉旁淋巴结的微小转移对于评价预防性淋巴结清除的意义。方法采用细胞角蛋白抗体,对47例进展期胃癌患者根治性手术清除的2339枚淋巴结(其中包括390枚腹主动旁淋巴结),进行免疫组织化学染色研究。结果常规HE染色发现390枚腹主动脉旁淋巴结中,95枚从14例患者中清除的淋巴结为转移阳性。剩余的295枚淋巴结中,有45枚从另15例患者中清除的淋巴结经免疫组化染色发现有微小转移。术后5年生存率在腹主动脉旁淋巴结转移阴性组为56．0％,微小转移组为25．2％,常规染色淋巴结转移组为9．0％。结论进展期胃癌存在较高的腹主动脉旁淋巴结微小转移率,预防性淋巴结清除对此类患者有效。     

胰头癌淋巴转移特点的探索和影响的因素

目的 探索胰头癌淋巴回流途径和淋巴结转移的特点，初步分析胰头癌淋巴结转移的相关因素．以指导胰腺癌根治术中的淋巴结清扫。方法 21例胰头癌标本应用手术显微镜法寻找淋巴结，并进行详细的分组。分析各组淋巴结的转移频率和相互关系。分析肿瘤大小、肿瘤组织学类型、术前血清肿瘤标志物与淋巴结转移的关系。结果 21例胰头癌平均每例找到淋巴结37．7枚，证实17例伴有淋巴结转移。第13、14、12和8组转移频率较高。4例胰腺钩突肿瘤仪发生14组淋巴结转移而不伴13或17组淋巴结转移。4例16组阳性的淋巴结均为16bl亚组．主要分布于腹主动脉、下腔静脉、左。肾静脉围成的三角形区域内。淋巴结转移与肿瘤大小、肿瘤组织学类型无关。伴有淋巴结转移的病人术前血清中CA50、CA24-2明显升高。结论 在胰头癌根治性切除时．即使是局限于胰腺内的小胰癌也应作广泛的淋巴结清扫。胰腺钩突肿瘤尤其要注意肠系膜上动静脉周围的淋巴结清扫。清扫腹主动脉周围淋巴结重点应在腹主动脉、下腔静脉和左肾静脉构成的三角形区域内。术前血清中CA50、CA24-2明显升高的病人术中更应注重淋巴结的清扫。     

进展期胃癌腹主动脉旁淋巴结转移规律及其清扫对临床结局的影响

目的 分析进展期胃癌腹主动脉旁淋巴结转移规律，评价该区域淋巴结清扫对临床结局的影响。方法 根据1994—2004年胃癌数据库资料，按1999年日本第13版胃癌规约的淋巴结清扫分类，行D3或D3^＋淋巴结清扫（D3组）共126例，分析其淋巴结转移的规律。从同一数据库中选择同一手术组施行D2手术的患者146例（D2组），对两组患者的临床结局进行比较。结果 16a2区及16b1区是No16淋巴结转移常见部位。腹主动脉周围淋巴结转移率T1为3、8％，T2为22、3％，T3为46．8％，T4为32．1％；腹膜播散阴性者其转移率为16、3％，腹膜播散阳性者则为69、5％；浆膜无侵犯者转移率为16．3％，浆膜侵出阳性者则为69．5％。D2和D3组患者手术死亡各2例，并分别有4例和6例出现并发症（P〉0、05）。D3组No16淋巴结转移3枚以下与4枚以上者与D2清扫组的平均生存期、中位生存及生存率比较，差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．01）；胃癌D3与D2手术后Ⅰ期、Ⅱ期、Ⅲ。期、Ⅲb期、Ⅳ期患者平均生存期、中位生存及生存率曲线比较，差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。结论 胃癌淋巴结转移率与肿瘤侵犯深度和浆膜侵出程度密切相关。腹主动脉周围淋巴结清扫可以提高No16转移淋巴结在3枚以内和阴性患者的5年生存率。     

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??Comprehensive treatment strategies of advanced gastric cancer with para-aortic lymph node metastasis SONG Wu??HE Yu-long. Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery??the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University??Guangzhou 510080??China
Corresponding author??HE Yu-long??E-mail??YLH@medmail.com.cn
Abstract The whole treatment process of advanced gastric cancer patients with para-aortic lymph node (PALN) metastasis requires collaborative multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) group to assist the assessment of preoperative staging, decision of treatment plan, selection of operation timing and the control of operation. The parao-aortic nodal dissection (PAND) is an absolute operation indication under the condition that there was no evidence of distant metastasis, the enlargement lymph nodes limited to the No.16a2 and No.16b1 station lymph nodes, and other incurable factors were excluded. Advanced gastric cancer with PALN metastasis adopted comprehensive treatment strategies with chemotherapy and surgery. The effective neoadjuvant chemotherapy was prerequisite, the surgeon’s abundant experience of D2 lymph node dissection and PAND was safety guarantee, the radical dissection of No.16a2 and No.16b1 station lymph nodes may give survival benefit for selected patients. The highly suspected para-aortic lymph node metastasis groups, such as preoperative imaging evaluation for clinical N2 or N3, highly suspected No.9 lymph node metastasis, duodenum invaded, still need to be careful reassessment of preventive PAND value after comprehensive treatment. Under the guidance of preoperative neoadjuvant therapy and MDT discussion, the selected patients may get benefit from therapeutic or prophylactic PAND.     

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目的 分析进展期胃癌胃周淋巴结转移及淋巴结清除与病人预后的关系。方法 对1982－1992年间收治并行手术治疗的进展期胃癌299例进行统计分析。结果 肿瘤进展与淋巴结转移的程度显著相关（P＜0.05）。淋巴结转移有无、淋巴结清扫与术后生存直接相关，对于侵及浆膜下或侵出浆膜并伴有远处淋巴结转移的病例，淋巴结清扫仍能提高术后生存率（P＜0.05）。结论 严格的淋巴结清扫可以提高胃癌病人术后生存率。     

Significance of aggressive lymph node dissection in advanced gallbladder carcinoma

Although aggressive lymph node dissection has been performed in gallbladder carcinoma as well as in other carcinomas of the alimentary tract, there is no definitive evidence of the efficacy of extended lymph node dissection. However, extensive lymph node metastasis is well known in advanced carcinoma of the gallbladder. From the viewpoint of the balance between radicality and safety in surgery, wider lymph node dissection consisting of the lymph nodes in the hepatoduodenal ligamentum and parapancreatic area is recommended in selected patients who hare no involvement of the paraaortic lymph nodes. Complete dissection of the superior mesenteric lymph nodes with pancreaticoduodenectomy is unlikely to result in cure.     

Long-term survival of a patient with advanced gastric cancer with paraaortic lymph node metastasis who attained pathological complete response after S-1/CDDP chemotherapy: A case report

IntroductionGastric cancer with paraaortic lymph node (PAN) metastasis have unfavorable prognosis. There are no evidence-based preoperative chemotherapy regimens available.Case presentationA 62-year-old female was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer and PAN metastasis. We attempted S-1/CDDP chemotherapy in six coursed and total gastrectomy as well as systematic dissection of regional lymph nodes and PAN. Histologically, no cancerous cells were detected in specimens. The patient has been disease-free for 5 years since the surgery.DiscussionLong-term survival case of gastric cancer with PAN metastasis attaining pathologically complete response is extremely rare. It is possible that preoperative S1/CDDP with surgery might be a standard treatment strategy for gastric cancer with PANs.ConclusionWe report herein a rare case of gastric cancer with PAN metastases who achieved a 5-year survival after S-1/CDDP chemotherapy and surgery.     

胰头癌淋巴结转移的临床研究

目的:探索胰头癌淋巴回流途径和淋巴结转移的特点,以指导胰腺癌根治术中的淋巴结清扫范围.方法:在46例胰头癌标本应用手术显微镜法寻找淋巴结,进行详细的分组,以明确各组淋巴结的转移状况,并进一步分析各组淋巴结的转移频率和相互关系.结果:46例胰头癌平均每例找到淋巴结41.8枚,证实32例伴有淋巴结转移,包括较小的淋巴结,转移率69.6%.第13、14、12、8、16组转移频率较高.6例胰腺钩突肿瘤仅发生14组淋巴结转移而不伴13或17组淋巴结转移.7例阳性的16组淋巴结均属16b1亚组,主要分布于腹主动脉、下腔静脉和左肾静脉围成的三角形区域内.结论:在胰头癌根治性切除时,即使是局限于胰腺内的小胰癌也应作广泛的淋巴结清扫.胰腺钩突肿瘤尤其要注意肠系膜上动静脉周围的淋巴结清扫.清扫腹主动脉周围淋巴结重点应在腹主动脉、下腔静脉和左肾静脉构成的三角形区域内.