Invasion of blood vessels as significant prognostic factor in radically resected T1-3N0M0 non-small-cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Radical resection is the therapy of choice in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, even in early stages (T1N0, T2N0) up to 35% of patients will experience recurrence. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prognostic influence of lymph vessel or blood vessel invasion in N0 patients. METHODS: A total of 72 patients (male, 49; female, 23; median age 59; range 40-72) with NSCLC entered the study. The stages were T1-3N0 (T1, 25; T2, 41; T3, 6). Thirteen pneumonectomies and 59 lobectomies or bilobectomies with systematic lymphadenectomy and R0 resection were performed. Histologically, 24 adenocarcinomas, 31 squamous cell carcinomas and 14 subtypes of large cell carcinoma were found. In 22 cases microscopic invasion of the lymphatic vessels and in 11 invasions of blood vessels were found. Six patients showed invasion of either structure. RESULTS: The patients were followed up for at least 5 years or until death. During the follow-up period 27 patients died (21 because of recurrence and 6 because of diagnosis not related to NSCLC). The 5 years overall survival amounted to 62.5%. In cases with invasion of the blood vessels the survival rate was 23.5%, in cases without invasion 74.5% (P< or = 0.01), whereas lymph vessel invasion had no significant impact on survival. Multivariate analysis covering T stages, histological subtypes, location of the tumor, grading, age, sex, and invasion of the lymphatic or the blood vessels showed invasion of the blood vessels as the only factor with significant prognostic impact in the study population. CONCLUSIONS: In resectable N0 patients with NSCLC the microscopic invasion of blood vessels should be considered as an additional prognostic parameter.     

Chest Wall Invasion In Lung Cancer Patients

This study was performed to assess the prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer invading the chest wall.

In this study, the data from 43 patients who were operated on between January 1990-January 1998, for non-small cell lung cancer with pathologically verified parietal pleural and chest wall invasion were retrospectively reviewed. The median and 3-year survival of the population was calculated to be 16.8 months and 34%. The pathologic stages were T3N0 in 31 (72.09%) patients, T3N1 in 5 (11.62%) and T3N2 in 7 (16.27%). The median survival of the T3N0M0 patients was 24 months but in the same T3 population with pathologically verified N1 and N2, the median survival was 7.4 months (p < 0.01). A complete resection was achieved in 37 (86.84%) patients. The median and 3-year survival of the patients with complete resection were 20.60 months and 41% respectively. In six patients, who had incomplete resection, median survival was noted to be 7.4 months. Patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy in the N2 positive group and the incomplete resection group, did not benefit (p > 0.05).

The results of this study confirmed that the lung cancer patients with chest wall invasion had different survival curves. The survival of patients changed according to the completeness of the resection and lymphatic metastases of either N1 or N2.     

手术切除的T4卫星灶非小细胞肺癌的预后分析

目的 研究手术治疗后T4卫星灶非小细胞肺癌的生存和预后.方法 回顾性分析1995年1月至2005年3月经手术切除的42例T4卫星灶N0-2M0非小细胞肺癌患者的术后生存情况,评价各临床病理因素与预后的关系,并与同期32例手术切除的T4局部器官侵犯N0-2M0的非小细胞肺癌进行生存比较.结果 T4卫星灶组无手术死亡,术后早期并发症率为14.3%,1、3、5年生存率分别为76.2%、57.1%和46.0%;T4局部器官侵犯组术后早期并发症率为28.1%,1、3、5年生存率分别为62.3%、31.5%和20.0%;两组生存率有明显差异(P<0.05).根据淋巴结转移情况进一步分组,两组中N0M0患者的生存率均高于同组的N1-2M0患者(P<0.05).单因素分析显示,组织学类型、原发灶大小、有无淋巴结转移及是否术后辅助化疗与T4卫星灶患者的5年生存率相关;多因素分析显示原发灶大小、有无淋巴结转移及是否接受术后化疗是独立的预后影响因素.结论 原发灶直径3 cm、淋巴结转移以及未接受术后化疗的T4卫星灶非小细胞肺癌预后不佳,经手术完全切除的T4卫星灶非小细胞肺癌的预后好于T4局部器官侵犯者.     

直径≤3cm的周围型非小细胞肺癌纵隔淋巴结转移规律的初步研究

目的探讨直径≤3cm的周围型非小细胞肺癌(non-small cell lung cancer,NSCLC)纵隔淋巴结转移的情况,分析早期周围型NSCLC纵隔淋巴结转移的规律。方法 2000年1月1日～2008年12月31日治疗直径≤3cm的周围型NSCLC161例,男89例,女72例,年龄(63.4±10.7)岁,行肺叶切除或肺局限性切除加系统性纵隔淋巴结清扫术,分析其临床特征、病理特点及纵隔淋巴结转移规律。结果全组手术顺利,无死亡及严重并发症发生。肺叶切除153例,肺楔形切除7例,肺段切除1例。全组共清扫淋巴结2456枚,平均每例4.5±1.6组、13.1±7.3枚。术后病理:腺癌99例,鳞癌30例,肺泡细胞癌19例,其他类型肺癌13例。术后TNM分期:ⅠA期50例,ⅠB期62例,ⅡA期6例,ⅡB期10例,ⅢA期33例。N1组淋巴结转移率为23.6%(38/161),N2组转移率为20.5%(33/161),其中隆突下淋巴结转移率为8.1%(13/161),跳跃式纵隔转移率为6.8%(11/161),全组未发现下纵隔淋巴结转移。肺泡细胞癌及直径≤2cm的鳞癌、直径≤1cm的腺癌均无pN2转移。上肺癌发生pN2转移时上纵隔100%(19/19)受累,其中21.1%(4/19)同时伴有隆突下淋巴结转移;下肺癌则除主要转移至隆突下外(64.3%,9/14),还常直接单独转移至上纵隔(35.7%,5/14)。转移的纵隔淋巴结左肺癌主要分布在第5、6、7组,右肺癌主要分布在第3、4、7组。结论对于直径≤3cm的周围型NSCLC,肿瘤直径越大,其纵隔淋巴结转移率越高,肺泡细胞癌、直径≤2cm的鳞癌和≤1cm的腺癌其纵隔淋巴结转移率相对较低;上肺癌主要转移在上纵隔,下肺癌则隆突下及上纵隔均可转移;第5、6、7组淋巴结是左肺癌主要转移的位置,第3、4、7组是右肺癌主要转移的位置,术中应重点清扫。     

Outcome Following Surgery for Primary Lung Cancer with Interlobar Pleural Invasion

Purpose To determine whether interlobar pleural invasion into the adjacent lobe (interlobar P3) should be assessed as T3 according to the tumor-node metastasis classification.Methods Surgically treated patients with primary lung cancer (n = 322) were analyzed.Results Tumors with interlobar P3 had a significantly lower incidence of mass screening detection, a higher occurrence rate of squamous cell carcinoma, and a larger tumor diameter than tumors without interlobar P3. The lymph node metastatic rate did not differ between the patients with and without interlobar P3. The 5-year survival rate of patients with interlobar P3 was 63% and the rates of other patients were 56% with T1 disease, 57% with T2, 31% with T3, and 19% with T4. The survival rate for patients with interlobar P3 was higher than for those with T3 without interlobar P3 (P < 0.05). The 5-year survival rate of the patients with interlobar P3 was lower in adenocarcinoma (39%) than in squamous cell carcinoma (69%, P < 0.01). The results were similar when the analysis was restricted to patients without lymph node metastasis. In adenocarcinoma, the survival rate for interlobar P3 was between the rates for T2 (53%) and T3 (13%) without interlobar P3, whereas in squamous cell carcinoma, the survival rate for interlobar P3 was between the rates for T1 (88%) and T2 (54%) without interlobar P3.Conclusion Tumors with interlobar P3 should be classified as T2 only in squamous cell carcinoma.This study was presented at the 10th World Conference of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, held in Vancouver, Canada, August 10–14, 2003     

结肠癌根治术后转移复发的特点及预后分析

目的 探讨结肠癌根治术后肿瘤转移复发的特点和影响预后的因素。方法回顾性分析310例结肠癌患者根治术后转移复发的特点，并对预后进行单因素及多因素分析。结果本组患者结肠癌行根治术后转移复发率为23．2％（72例），其中3年内转移复发者占76．4％（55例）。肝转移28例（38．9％），多脏器转移16例（22．2％）。X^2检验显示，肿瘤大体类型、分化程度、有无淋巴结转移、Stage分期与转移复发相关。本组5年生存率64．6％。单因素分析显示，肿瘤大体类型、组织学类型、分化程度、淋巴结转移、脉管瘤栓、Stage分期、有无化疗和门脉化疗与预后相关；多因素分析显示，肿瘤大体类型、淋巴结转移、术后有无化疗和门脉化疗为影响预后最重要的因素。结论结肠癌患者根治术后转移复发多在3年内，肝脏是最常见的转移部位。肿瘤大体类型、淋巴结转移、有无化疗和门脉化疗是结肠癌术后影响预后的重要因素。     

Muscle Invasion in Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma as a Predictor of Nodal Status and Local Recurrence: Just as Effective as Depth of Invasion?

Tumor depth of invasion (DOI) is a histologic feature that consistently correlates with lymph node metastasis; however, there are many difficulties with accurately assessing DOI. The aim of this study was to identify a simpler and more reproducible method of determining DOI, by using skeletal muscle invasion as a surrogate marker of depth. Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage T1 cases were identified in the Emory University Department of Pathology database. 61 cases, with a minimum of 2 years of follow-up, were included in the study. Cases were examined histologically to assess muscle invasion and DOI. The two methods of measurement were analyzed to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of DOI or muscle invasion for both nodal disease and local recurrence. Cases with muscle invasion had a 23.3% PPV of occult lymph node metastasis. Cases with DOI of greater than 3 mm had a 29.7% PPV of occult lymph node metastasis. Cases with muscle invasion had a 43.7% PPV of local tumor recurrence. Cases with maximum DOI of greater than 3 mm had a 40.4% PPV of tumor recurrence. Although the PPV of muscle invasion in regards to nodal status was slightly less than DOI, it represents a more easily reproducible parameter which could guide surgeons in determining if the case warrants an elective neck dissection in a cN0 (clinically negative) neck. Interestingly, the PPV of local recurrence was higher with muscle invasion than DOI, and may represent an important indicator for extent of resection.     

Patterns of allelic loss of synchronous adenocarcinomas of the lung

Distinction of multiple primary lung carcinomas from intrapulmonary metastases using empiric clinical and histopathologic criteria can be difficult. Recent advances have provided several molecular markers that can be used for clonal analysis of separate tumor nodules and enhance tumor staging and subsequent treatment and prognosis. To address this issue, we performed a microdissection-based allelotyping of 20 cases of histologically similar, pathologic stage T4 adenocarcinomas (ADCs). Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis included a panel of 15 polymorphic microsatellite markers located on 1p, 3p, 5q, 9p, 9q, 10q, 17p, and 22q. The tumor size, visceral pleural and angiolymphatic invasion, lymph node status, outcome, and survival were assessed. Allelotypes of 60 cases of solitary primary non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) (stages I-II) were used to define the percentage of discordant LOH patterns within solitary primary lung carcinoma that would discriminate between survivors and nonsurvivors. These criteria were used in the analysis of pathologic stage T4 ADC. Two groups of stage T4 cases were created: molecularly homogenous (< or = 40% discordances) (14 cases, 70%), and molecularly heterogenous (>40% discordances) (6 cases, 30%). Molecularly homogenous tumors were more frequently associated with visceral pleural invasion (92% vs. 8%) (P = 0.018). Allelotype did not correlate with age, gender, tumor size, tumor differentiation, lymph node status, angiolymphatic invasion, survival, or outcome. Our study showed that discordant and concordant genotypic profiles exist in morphologically similar synchronous ADC of the lung.     

Rim versus sagittal mandibulectomy for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma: two types of mandibular preservation

BACKGROUND: The role of conservative mandibulectomy for patients with bone invasion from squamous cell carcinoma remains poorly defined. However, marginal mandibular resection is biomechanically secure in its design while maintaining the mandibular continuity. This procedure has proven to be a successful method of treating squamous cell carcinoma with limited mandibular involvement. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze our results after the use of a marginal technique for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancer and to compare two types of mandibular conservative procedures: rim resection versus sagittal inner mandibulectomy. METHODS: A retrospective review of a cohort of 50 patients (global group) who underwent mandibular conservative resection for previously untreated squamous cell carcinoma was performed. Two subgroups were considered: rim group (n = 37) and sagittal group (n = 13). Clinical evaluation and preoperative radiologic studies were the means used to evaluate bony invasion and to decide on the extent of mandibulectomy. The treatment outcome after these two types of mandibular resection was calculated and compared using analysis by the Pearson chi(2) test, logistic regression model for multivariate analysis, and the Kaplan-Meier method to determine survival. RESULTS.: In the sagittal group, specimens from 2 patients (11.7%) demonstrated tumor invasion on decalcified histologic examination, whereas the rim group showed 11 cases (29.7%) with bone invasion. Local recurrence was observed in the follow-up of 10 patients. No statistical relationship was found between the presence of histologic bone invasion and the risk of local recurrence. The size of bone resection >4 cm (p =.002) and tumor invasion of surgical margins (p =.039) were found to be associated with increased local recurrence rates. In multivariate analysis, lymph node affectation significantly correlated with histologic mandibular involvement (p =.02). In the global group, the 5-year observed survival rate was 56.97%. Overall survival and rate of recurrence were comparable in both groups. In the global group, tumor infiltration beyond the surgical margin was statistically related with poor survival (p =.01). CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of this series disclosed that marginal mandibulectomy is effective in the control of squamous cell carcinomas that are close to or involving the mandible. In carefully selected patients, sagittal bone resection seems to be as appropriate as rim resection in the local control of these tumors.     

Surgical Management of Early Colorectal Cancer

An early colorectal carcinoma is TNM stage T1NxMx. Most early carcinomas of the colon and rectum can be treated by adequate local excision, such as colonoscopic polypectomy and per-anal excision. If there are adverse risk factors, especially poorly differentiated carcinoma, lymphovascular invasion, or incomplete excision, a radical resection is indicated if there is no contraindication. In the case of a low rectal carcinoma, adjuvant chemoradiation should be considered. Recently a new classification has been developed: sm1 is invasion to the upper one-third of the submucosa, sm2 is invasion to the middle one-third, and sm3 is invasion to the lower one-third. Lesions of sm1 and sm2 have a low risk of local recurrence and lymph node metastasis; local excision is adequate. The sm3 lesions and sm2 flat and depressed types have a high risk of local recurrence and lymph node metastasis; further treatment is indicated. E-pub: 3 July 2000     

同侧肺多结节非小细胞肺癌的外科治疗

目的 探讨外科手术对同侧肺多结节型非小细胞肺癌的治疗作用.方法 1999年12月至2006年12月共对68例同侧肺多结节非小细胞肺癌患者进行完全性手术切除.男性44例,女性24例,年龄33～81岁,平均年龄为60.3岁.其中54例为同一肺叶内的多结节病灶(T4),13例为不同肺叶的多结节病灶(M1),还有1例被证实为多原发癌.本组患者采用的手术方法包括:肺叶切除、联合肺叶切除、全肺切除和肺叶切除加楔形切除,所有患者均接受了系统性纵隔淋巴结清扫.结果 本组患者的中位生存时间为30个月,影响患者术后生存的主要因素是纵隔淋巴结转移状态和细支气管肺泡癌组织类型.无纵隔淋巴结转移的患者的中位生存时间为39个月,而有纵隔淋巴结转移的患者的中位生存时间为14个月(P<0.01).伴有细支气管肺泡癌成分的患者的中位生存时间为46个月,好于其他组织类型患者的20个月(P<0.01).结论 外科手术可有效治疗同侧肺多结节型非小细胞肺癌,对含有细支气管肺泡癌成分和无纵隔淋巴结转移的这类患者应积极进行手术治疗.     

Patients with penile carcinoma benefit from immediate resection of clinically occult lymph node metastases

PURPOSE: In this retrospective study we compared the clinical outcome of early vs delayed excision of lymph node metastases in patients with penile squamous cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 40 patients with a T2-3 penile carcinoma with lymph node metastases were included in this study. All patients initially presented with bilateral impalpable lymph nodes. In 20 patients (50%) metastases were removed when they became clinically apparent during meticulous followup (median interval 6 months, range 1 to 24). There were 20 patients (50%) who underwent resection of inguinal metastases detected on dynamic sentinel node biopsy before they became palpable. The histopathological characteristics of the tumors and lymph nodes were reevaluated. RESULTS: The 2 populations were similar in terms of patient age, T-stage, pathological tumor grade, vascular invasion and infiltration depth. Disease specific 3-year survival of patients with positive lymph nodes detected during surveillance was 35% and in those who underwent early resection, 84% (log rank p = 0.0017). In multivariate analysis early resection of occult inguinal metastases detected on dynamic sentinel node biopsy was an independent prognostic factor for disease specific survival (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Early resection of lymph node metastases in patients with penile carcinoma improves survival.     

Recurrence Pattern of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the Middle Thoracic Esophagus after Modified Ivor-Lewis Esophagectomy

BACKGROUND: Despite increasingly radical surgery for esophageal carcinoma, many patients still develop tumor recurrence after operation. This study was designed to evaluate the recurrence pattern of squamous cell carcinoma in the middle thoracic esophagus after modified Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data of 196 patients who underwent modified Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection from January 1997 to January 2001. Recurrence was classified as locoregional or hematogenous recurrence. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors of postoperative recurrence. RESULTS: The overall 3-year and 5-year survival rates in all patients were 53% and 31%, respectively. Recurrence was recognized in 96 patients (48.9%) in the 3 years after operation. The median time to tumor recurrence was 12.2 months. The pattern of recurrence was locoregional in 52 patients (mainly mediastinal in 41, single cervical/supraclavicular in 8), hematogenous in 44 patients (simultaneous locoregional and hematogenous in 10; mainly liver, bone, or lung in 39). The locoregional recurrence rate was significantly lower in patients with postoperative radiotherapy than that in patients without postoperative radiotherapy (p = 0.02). Logistic regression analysis showed that T3 (p = 0.032), N1 (p = 0.003), and postoperative radiotherapy (p = 0.022) were independent risk factors for tumor locoregional recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: About one half of the patients would develop recurrent disease within 3 years after modified Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection, and most of them had mediastinal lymph node, liver, bone, or lung metastasis. Postoperative radiotherapy was beneficial in the control of locoregional recurrence.     

Survival after resection of stage II non-small cell lung cancer.

From 1973 to 1989, 214 patients with stage II non-small cell lung cancer were treated by resection and complete mediastinal lymph node dissection. There were 116 adenocarcinomas and 98 squamous cancers. There were 35 T1 N1 and 179 T2 N1 tumors. Whereas T1 tumors were mainly adenocarcinomas (83%), this difference was not apparent in T2 lesions. Regardless of histology, half of the patients had a single involved N1 lymph node. Lobectomy was performed in 68% of the patients, pneumonectomy in 31%, and wedge resection or segmentectomy in 1%. Lobectomy was sufficient to encompass all disease in 34 of 35 T1 N1 tumors. Only 48 patients (22%) received postoperative external irradiation and 11 patients (5%) received chemotherapy. The overall 5-year disease-free survival was 39%. The best survival rates were in patients who had a single node involved and tumors 3 cm or less in diameter (48%). The pattern of recurrence differed by histology. Local or regional recurrence was more frequent in patients with squamous carcinoma whereas distant metastases were more commonly seen in adenocarcinomas (87%) with brain as the most frequent site (adenocarcinoma, 52%; squamous, 34%). It is concluded that in stage II carcinomas, resection remains the treatment of choice, that mediastinal lymph node dissection provides the most accurate staging, and that the best adjuvant treatment to improve survival is yet to be determined.     

Immunohistochemistry-detected microscopic tumor spread affects outcome in en-bloc resection for T3-chest wall lung cancer

Objective: This study is aimed at analyzing the effect of immunohistochemistry-detected microscopic tumor spread on long-term survival after en-bloc lung and chest wall resection for T3-chest wall non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 47 patients (mean age 64.4 ± 7.1 years, range 48–77) who underwent radical en-bloc lung and chest wall resection for NSCLC between 1987 and 2000. Resection margins, invasion depth, and lymph nodes were re-assessed by immunohistochemistry with AE1/AE3 anti-cytokeratin and anti-CEA monoclonal antibodies. Results: Operative mortality and morbidity were 2.1% and 34%, respectively. At immunohistochemistry analysis, five patients (10.6%) revealed microinfiltration of the resection margins that was significantly correlated with the development of local recurrence (p < 0.005). Nodal micrometastases were found in 4 out of 33 N0 patients (12.1%), and correlated with distant relapse (p < 0.001). Overall and disease-free survivals were significantly influenced by N-status (p < 0.001), especially after re-evaluation of micrometastases (p < 0.0001), and resection margins microinfiltration (p < 0.0001) being these last two the only significant prognostic factors at Cox regression analysis. Five-year overall survival in radically resected patients was 73%. Conclusions: In this study immunohistochemical analysis allowed to identify patients at higher risk of recurrence following en-bloc resection for T3-chest wall NSCLC.     

Prediction of lymph node status in patients with superficial esophageal carcinoma: analysis of 160 surgically resected cancers

BACKGROUND: The ability to predict lymph node metastasis in cases of superficial esophageal carcinoma before surgery would allow the identification of specific patients who do not require additional surgical resection after endoscopic local resection. METHODS: From 1980 to 2002 a total of 160 patients with superficial esophageal carcinoma, Tis or T1 tumors, underwent subtotal esophagectomy with lymph node dissection. On the basis of clinicopathologic data the risk factors for lymph node metastases are discussed. RESULTS: Patients with tumors that showed submucosal invasion, a nonflat shape, and lymphatic invasion had a higher risk for lymph node metastasis than the other patients. Multivariate analysis showed that the tumor depth and the macroscopic shape of the tumor were independent risk factors for lymph node metastases. CONCLUSIONS: Esophagectomy with lymph node dissection is recommended for patients with submucosal cancer. Local tumor resection can be recommended for patients with mucosal cancer without lymphatic invasion.     

Pathologic N1 non-small cell lung cancer: correlation between pattern of lymphatic spread and prognosis

OBJECTIVES: Patients with N1 non-small cell lung cancer represent a heterogeneous population with varying long-term survivals. Prognosis and pattern of recurrence seem to be particularly affected by the level of lymph node involvement. METHODS: From 1990 to 1995, a total of 1954 consecutive patients underwent surgical resection for non-small cell lung cancer: 549 (28%) had ipsilateral pulmonary lymph node metastases (N1). The hospital survivors (n = 535) were reviewed. Three levels of lymph node metastases (hilar, interlobar, and lobar) were identified according to the new Regional Lymph Node Classification for Lung Cancer Staging and differentiated from lymph node involvement on the basis of direct invasion. RESULTS: 1 The overall 5-year survival of patients with N1 disease was 40%. Survival was related in the univariate analysis to T classification, level-type of N1 involvement, number of involved nodes, multilevel involvement, Karnofsky Index, R status, and adjuvant therapy. In the multivariate analysis, only T classification and level-type of N1 involvement clearly showed statistical power (P =.000 and P =.001, respectively). The pattern of cancer relapse according to level-type of N1 involvement differed significantly: hilar N1 disease recurred at distant sites in 41% of patients and locoregionally in 12% of patients, whereas N1 disease by direct invasion occurred in 24% and 17% of patients, respectively (P =.030). CONCLUSIONS: Metastases to ipsilateral hilar, interlobar, or both, lymph nodes are associated with a poorer prognosis compared with metastases in intralobar lymph nodes or with lymph node involvement by means of direct invasion. Although surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment, the high rate of tumor recurrence in both groups mandates further randomized studies with multimodality therapy approaches.     

Chest wall invasion in carcinoma of the lung. Therapeutic and prognostic implications

From 1974 through 1983, 125 patients underwent operation at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center for non-small cell carcinoma of the lung invading the chest wall. (Excluded are those with superior sulcus tumors or distant metastases at presentation.) Eighty patients were male and 45 were female. Ages ranged from 33 to 88 years (median 60 years). Histologically, the tumors were epidermoid carcinoma in 46%, adenocarcinoma in 46%, and large cell carcinoma in 8%. All patients underwent thoracotomy (pneumonectomy 19, bilobectomy seven, lobectomy 75, wedge resection 10, and no pulmonary resection 14), with an operative mortality of 4%. At thoracotomy, mediastinal lymph node dissection was routinely performed, and the postsurgical stage was T3 N0 M0 in 53%, T3 N1 M0 in 13%, and T3 N2 M0 in 34%. Extrapleural resection was performed in 66 patients. En bloc resection of chest wall and lung was performed in 45 patients with an operative mortality of 2%. Complete resection of tumor was possible in 77 patients (62%). Extension of tumor beyond the parietal pleura significantly decreased resectability. The median survival of 48 patients having incomplete resection was 9 months, despite perioperative interstitial and external radiation. The actuarial 5 year survival rate (Kaplan-Meier) of 77 patients having complete resection was 40%. This percentage was not significantly influenced by the patient's age or sex or by tumor size or histologic type. Lymphatic metastases significantly reduced survival, with a 5 year actuarial survival rate of 56% for patients with T3 N0 M0 disease and 21% for those with T3 N1 M0 or T3 N2 M0 disease (p = 0.005). The extent of tumor invasion of the chest wall appeared to influence survival, but in the absence of lymphatic metastases the difference at 5 years was not significant. Complete resection offers a significant chance for long-term survival in lung cancer directly extending into parietal pleura and chest wall. Extrapleural resection or en bloc chest wall resection can be performed with a low operative mortality and an expected 5 year survival in excess of 50% in the absence of lymphatic metastases.     

Extent of chest wall invasion and survival in patients with lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The long-term survival after operation of patients with lung cancer involving the chest wall is known to be related to regional nodal involvement and completeness of resection, but it is not known whether the depth of chest wall involvement or the type of resection (extrapleural or en bloc) affects either the rate of local recurrence or survival. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center experience between 1974 and 1993 of 334 patients undergoing surgical exploration for lung cancer involving the chest wall or parietal pleura. RESULTS: Of 334 patients who underwent exploration, 175 had apparently complete (R0) resections, 94 had incomplete (R1 or R2) resections, and 65 underwent exploration without resection. The overall 5-year survival of R0 patients was 32%, of R1 or R2 patients 4%, and of patients undergoing exploration without resection 0%. In the patients undergoing R0 resections, the extent of chest wall involvement was limited to the parietal pleura in 80 patients, and extended into the ribs or soft tissues in 95. The 5-year survival of R0 patients with T3 N0 M0 disease was 49%, T3 N1 M0 disease 27%, and T3 N2 M0 disease 15% (p < 0.0003). Independent of lymph node involvement, a survival advantage was observed in R0 patients if the chest wall involvement was limited to parietal pleura only, rather than invading into the chest wall musculature or ribs. CONCLUSIONS: Survival of patients with lung cancer invading the chest wall after resection with curative intent is highly dependent on the extent of nodal involvement and the completeness of resection, and much less so on the depth of chest wall invasion.