Clinical significance of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer,one of the most common malignancies in the world,frequently reveals lymph node,peritoneum,and liver metastases.Most of gastric cancer patients present with lymph node metastasis when they were initially diagnosed or underwent surgical resection,which results in poor prognosis.Both the depth of tumor invasion and lymph node involvement are considered as the most important prognostic predictors of gastric cancer.Although extended lymphadenectomy was not considered a survival benefit procedure and was reported to be associated with high mortality and morbidity in two randomized controlled European trials,it showed significant superiority in terms of lower locoregional recurrence and disease related deaths compared to limited lymphadenectomy in a 15-year followup study.Almost all clinical investigators have reached a consensus that the predictive efficiency of the number of metastatic lymph nodes is far better than the extent of lymph node metastasis for the prognosis of gastric cancer worldwide,but other nodal metastatic classifications of gastric cancer have been proposed as alternatives to the number of metastatic lymph nodes for improving the predictive efficiency for patient prognosis.It is still controversial over whether the ratio between metastatic and examined lymph nodes is superior to the number of metastatic lymph nodes in prognostic evaluation of gastric cancer.Besides,the negative lymph node count has been increasingly recognized to be an important factor significantly associated with prognosis of gastric cancer.     

Individualization of lymphadenectomy in superficial esophageal squamous cell cancer

Background As the result of the development of imaging means, the incidence of discovery of superficial esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) has recently increased. Various treatment methods such as endoscopic mucosal resection and reduction of lymphadenectomy have been performed to preserve the quality of life. Because lymph node metastasis occurs even in the early stage of esophageal cancer, we should carefully select the treatment method, including lymphadenectomy. Methods We analyzed the distribution of solitary lymph metastasis of 27 superficial esophageal cancers. To analyze the distribution of micrometastasis, a total of 1542 lymph nodes obtained from 46 patients with pN0 submucosal cancer were immunohistochemically examined by cytokeratin antibody. Sentinel node mapping was performed in 23 patients with clinical T1 tumors. Results The location of lymph node metastasis in the 22 patients with solitary lymph metastasis in superficial cancer was limited to recurrent nerve nodes in the upper thoracic esophagus, recurrent nerve nodes, paraesophageal nodes, or perigastric nodes in the middle or lower thoracic esophagus. For eight patients with lymph node micrometastasis in pN0 patients with superficial esophageal cancer, the locations of micrometastasis were similar to those of solitary metastasis. In sentinel node mapping, all nodal metastasis was included in sentinel nodes with a single exception. Conclusions Individual lymphadenectomy in superficial ESCC will be established using methods such as analysis of past data, clinical diagnosis of lymph node metastasis by imaging, and sentinel node navigation surgery, including the diagnosis of micrometastasis.     

Lymph node staging in colorectal cancer:Old controversies and recent advances

Outcome prediction based on tumor stage reflected by the American Joint Committee on Cancer(AJCC)/Union for International Cancer Control(UICC)tumor node metastasis(TNM)system is currently regarded as the strongest prognostic parameter for patients with colorectal cancer.For affected patients,the indication for adjuvant therapy is mainly guided by the presence of regional lymph node metastasis.In addition to the extent of surgical lymph node removal and the thoroughness of the pathologist in dissecting the resection specimen,several parameters that are related to the pathological work-up of the dissected nodes may affect the clinical significance of lymph node staging.These include changing definitions of lymph nodes,involved lymph nodes,and tumor deposits in different editions of the AJCC/UICC TNM system as well as the minimum number of nodes to be dissected.Methods to increase the lymph node yield in the fatty tissue include methylene blue injection and acetone compression.Outcome prediction based on the lymph node ratio,defined as the number of positive lymph nodes divided by the total number of retrieved nodes,may be superior to the absolute numbers of involved nodes.Extracapsular invasion has been identified as additional prognostic factor.Adding step sectioning and immunohistochemistry to the pathological work-up may result in higher accuracy of histological diagnosis.The clinical value of more recent technical advances,such as sentinel lymph node biopsy and molecular analysis of lymph nodes tissue still remains to be defined.     

Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping for Adenocarcinoma of the Colon Does Not Improve Staging Accuracy

PURPOSE This study was designed to: determine the efficacy of sentinel lymph node mapping in patients with intraperitoneal colon cancer; and create an algorithm to predict potential survival benefit by using best-case estimates in favor of sentinel node mapping and lymph node ultraprocessing techniques. METHODS Forty-one patients with intraperitoneal colon cancer undergoing colectomy with curative intent were studied prospectively. After mobilization of the colon and mesentery, 1 to 2 ml of isosulfan blue dye was injected subserosally around the tumor. The first several nodes highlighted with blue dye were identified as sentinel nodes. Additional nodes were identified by the pathologist in routine fashion by manual dissection of the mesentery. All nodes were processed in routine fashion by bivalving and hematoxylin and eosin staining. To create an algorithm to predict potential survival benefit of sentinel node mapping and lymph node ultraprocessing techniques, assumptions were made using data from the literature. All bias was directed toward success of the techniques. RESULTS Three of 41 patients (7 percent) did not undergo injection of dye and were excluded from further analysis. Stage of disease in the remaining 38 patients was: I, n = 10 (26 percent); II, n = 15 (39 percent); III, n = 11 (29 percent); IV, n = 2 (5 percent). At least one sentinel node was identified in 30 of 38 patients (79 percent). The median number of sentinel nodes identified was two (range, 1–3). Median total nodal retrieval was 14 (range, 7–45). All nodes were negative in 26 of 38 patients (68 percent). Sentinel nodes and nonsentinel nodes were positive in 2 of 38 patients (5 percent). Sentinel nodes were the only positive nodes in 1 of 38 patients (3 percent). Sentinel nodes were negative and nonsentinel nodes were positive in 9 of 38 patients (24 percent). Thus, sentinel node mapping would have potentially benefited only 3 percent, and failed to accurately identify nodal metastases in 24 percent of the patients in our study. To create a survival benefit algorithm, we assumed the following: combined fraction of Stage I and II disease (0.5); fraction understaged by bivalving and hematoxylin and eosin staining that would have occult positive nodes by more sophisticated analysis (0.15); fraction of occult positive nodes detected by sentinel node mapping (0.9); and survival benefit from chemotherapy (0.33). Thus, the fraction of patients benefiting from sentinel lymph node mapping and lymph node ultraprocessing techniques would be 0.02 (2 percent). CONCLUSIONS Sentinel node mapping with isosulfan blue dye and routine processing of retrieved nodes does not improve staging accuracy in patients with intraperitoneal colon cancer. Even using best-case assumptions, the percentage of patients who would potentially benefit from sentinel lymph node mapping is small. Read at the meeting of The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Dallas, Texas, May 8 to 13, 2004.     

Ultrastaging of Rectal Cancer Based on Identification of Micrometastases in Sentinel Lymph Node

AbstractBackground and Purpose: Almost one third of patients with node-negative rectal carcinoma develop systemic disease. This implies that these patients have occult disease that is inadequately treated by surgery alone. In this study sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping and a focused pathologic examination were combined to detect occult nodal metastases in rectal carcinoma.Patients and Methods: Since 1999, SLN mapping has been performed in 53 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for rectal carcinoma. Peritumoral injection of 0.5–1.0 ml of patent blue dye was performed to demonstrate the SLNs. All lymph nodes in the resected specimen were examined by routine hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. In addition, a focused examination of multiple sections of the negatively stained HE lymph node was performed using anti-carcinoembryonic antigen and monoclonal anti-cytokeratin.Results: Overall, lymphatic mapping was successful in 47 patients (88.7%). The number of patients with negative SLN and positive non-SLN amounted to four (skip lesion), two of them detected by HE staining and the others by immunostaining. Sensitivity was 81.6%, specificity 80%, and negative predictive value 63.2%. Negative HE staining and positive immunostaining were observed in 13 of 28 patients (stage B; 46%), nine SLN and four non-SLN. SLN detection proved to be successful when there was no evident lymph node involvement. Focused examination of the SLN identified seven cases (17.5%) of additional upstaging disease for stage pT1–3 N0 M0 tumor.Conclusion: Upstaging by combination of immunostaining and SLN mapping may have important implications for adjuvant treatment in future protocols.     

Single skip metastasis in sentinel lymph node: In an early gastric cancer

Lymph node status is considered a key prognostic and predictive factor in patients with gastric cancer(GC).Although there is a practical approach to the intraoperative detection of sentinel lymph nodes(SLNs),such a procedure is not included in the European surgical protocol.In this report,we present a practical approach to SLN mapping in a representative case with early gastric cancer(EGC).A 74-year-old female was hospitalized with an endoscopically observed,superficially ulcerated tumor located in the antral region.Subtotal gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and SLN mapping was performed by injecting methylene blue dye into the peritumoral submucosal layer.An incidentally detected blue-stained lymph node located along the middle colic artery was also removed.This was detected 40 min after injection of the methylene blue.Histopathologic examination showed a p T1b-staged well-differentiated HER-2-negative adenocarcinoma.All of the 41 LNs located at the first,third,and fifth station of the regional LN compartments were found to be free of tumor cells.The only lymph node with metastasis was located along the middle colicartery and was considered a non-regional lymph node.This incidentally identified skip metastasis indicated stage Ⅳ GC.A classic chemotherapy regimen was given,and no recurrences were observed six months after surgery.In this representative case,low-cost SLN mapping,with a longer intraoperative waiting time,totally changed the stage of the tumor in a patient with EGC.     

Distribution of lymph node metastasis in T1 sigmoid colon carcinoma: Should we ligate the inferior mesenteric artery?

In standard oncological sigmoid colectomy, the inferior mesenteric artery is ligated either at its origin or at the level of the left colic artery. However, in patients with early-stage carcinoma, the distribution of metastatic nodes may be limited. The aim of this study was to clarify the prevalence and distribution of lymph node metastasis in T1 sigmoid colon carcinoma and to determine the adequate range of lymph node dissection.

Material and methods

The study included 121 consecutive patients treated for T1 sigmoid colon carcinoma. Clinicopathologic factors associated with nodal metastasis and the distribution of metastatic nodes were analyzed.

Results

Conclusions

Of 121 patients, 12 (10%) had nodal involvement. The depth of invasion and the presence of lymphatic and vascular invasion were significantly associated with nodal metastasis. Of these 12 patients, 11 (92%) had lymph node metastasis confined to pericolic nodes. Nodes along the sigmoidal artery were involved in one patient. There was no involved node along the superior rectal artery or at the root of the inferior mesenteric artery. Lymph node dissection for T1 sigmoid colon carcinoma should be limited to the root of the sigmoidal artery, and the inferior mesenteric artery should be preserved.     

Prognosis after resection for hepatitis B virus-associated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

AIM:To investigate the prognostic factors after resection for hepatitis B virus(HBV)-associated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC) and to assess the impact of different extents of lymphadenectomy on patient survival.METHODS:A total of 85 patients with HBV-associated ICC who underwent curative resection from January 2005 to December 2006 were analyzed.The patients were classified into groups according to the extent of lymphadenectomy(no lymph node dissection,sampling lymph node dissection and regional lymph node dissection).Clinicopathological characteristics and survival were reviewed retrospectively.RESULTS:The cumulative 1-,3-,and 5-year survival rates were found to be 60 %,18 %,and 13 %,respectively.Multivariate analysis revealed that liver cirrhosis(HR = 1.875,95%CI:1.197-3.278,P = 0.008) and multiple tumors(HR = 2.653,95%CI:1.562-4.508,P 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for survival.Recurrence occurred in 70 patients.The 1-,3-,and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 36%,3% and 0%,respectively.Liver cirrhosis(HR = 1.919,P = 0.012),advanced TNM stage(stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ)(HR = 2.027,P 0.001),and vascular invasion(HR = 3.779,P = 0.02) were independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival.Patients with regional lymph node dissection demonstrated a similar survival rate to patients with sampling lymph node dissection.Lymphadenectomy did not significantly improve the survival rate of patients with negative lymph node status.CONCLUSION:The extent of lymphadenectomy does not seem to have influence on the survival of patients with HBV-associated ICC,and routine lymph nodedissection is not recommended,particularly for those without lymph node metastasis.     

Distribution of solitary lymph nodes in primary gastric cancer： A retrospective study and clinical implications

AIM To investigate the distribution pathway of metastatic lymph nodes in gastric carcinoma as a foundation for rational lymphadenectomy.METHODS We investigated 173 cases with solitary or single station metastatic lymph nodes (LN) from among 2476 gastric carcinoma patients. The location of metastatic LN, histological type and growth patterns were analyzed retrospectively.RESULTS Of 88 solitary node metastases cases, 65 were limited to perigastric nodes (N1), while 23 showed skipping metastasis. Among 8 tumors in the upper third stomach, 3 involved right paracardial LN (station number No.1), and one in the greater curvature was found in No.1. In the 28 middle third stomach tumors, 10were found in LN of the lesser curvature (No.3) and 6 in LN of the left gastric artery (No.7); 5 of the 20 cases on the lesser curvature spread to No.7, while 2 of the 8 on the greater curvature metastasized to LN of the spleen hilum (No.10). Of 52 lower third stomach tumors, 13 involved in No.3 and 19 were detected in inferior pyloric LN (No.6); 9 of the 29 cases along the lesser curvature were involved in No.6.CONCLUSION Transversal and skipping metastases of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) are notable, and rational lymphadenectomy should, therefore, be performed.     

Perigastric lymph node status can be a simple prognostic parameter in patients with gastric cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The number of metastatic lymph nodes has been a significant prognostic factor after curative resection of gastric cancer and adopted as a new UICC classification of nodal stages in gastric cancer. The extent of lymphadenectomy is another significant factor but has been fiercely debated. Regardless of the type of lymphadenectomy, perigastric lymph node dissection is always carried out. In this study, we examined whether the number of metastatic perigastric nodes can be a prognostic indicator of gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: For the purpose of evaluating perigastric lymph node status, a retrospective study was carried out with 760 patients who underwent curative gastric resection from June 1994 to November 1998. RESULTS: The 4-year cumulative survival rate was 64% and the survival rate decreased significantly when the number of positive perigastric nodes exceeded 3. Comparing with the patients having 0-2 positive perigastric nodes, patients whose metastatic perigastric lymph nodes exceeded 3 or more exhibited deeper tumor invasion, larger tumor size and older age. Multivariate analysis identified the number of positive perigastric nodes, together with depth of tumor invasion, as the strongest independent prognostic factors for survival. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the number of metastatic perigastric nodes can be used as a simple prognostic parameter in patients with gastric cancer and that intensive follow-up and adjuvant chemotherapy should be recommended for the patients with more than 3 metastatic perigastric nodes.     

Clinical usefulness of intraoperative sentinel-node biopsy in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Minimally invasive surgery has been used to improve the quality of life after operation in patients with gastric cancer. Sentinel-lymphnode biopsy can help to limit the extent of lymph node dissection, but the diagnostic and therapeutic usefulness of this technique has not been accurately evaluated in gastric cancer. This study was designed to clarify the role of intraoperative sentinel-node biopsy in patients with gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: We were conducted to evaluate 1) mapping sentinel nodes according to tumor location 2) comparison sentinel node metastases as assessed by frozen section, permanent section (HE stain) and immunohistochemical diagnoses, and 3) comparison non-sentinel node metastases as assessed by permanent section (HE stain) and immunohistochemical diagnosis. RESULTS: All sentinel nodes were identified in the regional perigastric lymph node group close to the tumor. Four of the 43 sentinel lymph nodes were positive for metastasis. Similar diagnostic results were obtained by the 3 different procedures. Lymph node metastasis was found in 10 (4 sentinel nodes and 6 non-sentinel nodes) of 779 lymph nodes (1.28%) on HE staining. Immunohistochemical studies revealed a similar number of positive sentinel nodes as that obtained on HE staining, but identified metastases in 15 in non-sentinel nodes in 2 patients, as compared with only 6 nodes on HE staining. In one patient, sentinel nodes at No. 1 and No. 3 were negative for metastasis, whereas non-sentinel lymph nodes at NO. 3 were positive for metastasis. The other patient had negative sentinel nodes at No. 3 and No. 4d, but positive non-sentinel nodes at No. 4d. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this small study do not yet provide a firm basis for recommending that sentinel-node biopsy is used to reduce the extent of lymph node dissection.     

Colorectal cancer and lymph nodes:The obsession with the number 12

Lymphadenectomy of colorectal cancer is a decisive factor for the prognostic and therapeutic staging of the patient.For over 15 years,we have asked ourselves if the minimum number of 12 examined lymph nodes(LNs)was sufficient for the prevention of understaging.The debate is certainly still open if we consider that a limit of 12 LNs is still not the gold standard mainly because the research methodology of the first studies has been criticized.Moreover many authors report that to date both in the United States and Europe the number"12"target is uncommon,not adequate,or accessible only in highly specialised centres.It should however be noted that both the pressing nature of the debate and the dissemination of guidelines have been responsible for a trend that has allowed for a general increase in the number of LNs examined.There are different variables that can affect the retrieval of LNs.Some,like the surgeon,the surgery,and the pathology exam,are without question modifiable;however,other both patient and disease-related variables are non-modifiable and pose the question of whether the minimum number of examined LNs must be individually assigned.The lymph nodal ratio,the sentinel LNs and the study of the biological aspects of the tumor could find valid application in this field in the near future.     

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with melanoma and breast cancer

Abstract
Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNLB) is a new method for staging regional node fields in patients with cancers that have a propensity to metastasise to lymph nodes. The majority of early experience has been obtained in patients with melanoma and breast cancer.
The technique requires the close cooperation of nuclear medicine physicians, surgical oncologists and histopathologists to achieve the desired accuracy. It involves: (i) identification of all lymph nodes that directly drain a primary tumour site (the sentinel nodes) by the use of pre-operative lymphoscintigraphy, (ii) selective excision of these nodes by the surgeon, guided by pre-operative blue dye injection and a gamma detecting probe intra-operatively and (iii) careful histological examination of the sentinel nodes by the histopathologist using serial sections and immunohistochemical stains.
If the nodes are normal it can be inferred with a high degree of accuracy that all nodes in the node field are normal. This means that radical dissections of draining node fields can be avoided in patients with normal lymph nodes.
A further advantage of lyamphatic mapping is that drainage to sentinel nodes in unusual locations is identified, leading to more accurate nodal staging than could be achieved with routine dissection of the closest node field. (Intern Med J 2001; 31: 547–553)     

Tumor Invasion of Lymph Node Capsules in Patients with Dukes C Colorectal Adenocarcinoma

Purpose The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between the microscopic findings of positive lymph nodes, especially focusing on capsular invasion, and the outcome after curative surgical resection of colorectal cancer. Methods We analyzed 480 positive lymph nodes from 155 consecutive patients with Stage III colorectal cancer to determine the frequency and significance of lymph node capsular invasion. Recurrence-free and cancer-specific survival rates were assessed in the patients with and without lymph node capsular invasion. Results Between April 1995 and December 2000, 406 consecutive patients with primary colorectal cancer underwent curative resection. Regional lymph node metastases were present in 155 cases (38.2 percent). During the median follow-up period of 4.8 years, 41 patients (26.5 percent) developed recurrent disease and 28 patients died of cancer. Lymph node capsular invasion was detected in one or more lymph nodes from 75 cases (48.3 percent). The five-year recurrence-free rate was 56.1 percent in this group, whereas in the 80 patients without lymph node capsular invasion the rate was 88 percent (P<0.01). Features that were associated with recurrent disease were greater number of positive lymph nodes, venous invasion in primary tumor, infiltrative growth pattern of intranodal tumor, and presence of lymph node capsular invasion. Multivariate analysis identified lymph node capsular invasion as the only significant prognostic factor for recurrence. In multivariate analysis with regard to survival, lymph node capsular invasion, venous invasion, and number of positive nodes remained as significant prognostic factors. Conclusions Lymph node capsular invasion, determined by routine hematoxylin-eosin staining, is a potent prognostic factor in Stage III colorectal cancer. Read in part at the meeting of The International Society of University Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Budapest, Hungary, June 9, 2004. Reprints are not available.     

Lymph node dissection in esophageal carcinoma: Minimally invasive esophagectomy vs open surgery

AIM: To compare lymph node dissection results of minimally invasive esophagectomy(MIE) and open surgery for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data from patients who underwent MIE or open surgery for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma from January 2011 to September 2014. Number of lymph nodes resected, positive lymph node(p N+) rate, lymph node sampling(LNS) rate and lymph node metastatic(LNM) rate were evaluated. R E S U LT S : A m o n g 4 4 7 p a t i e n t s i n c l u d e d, 1 2 3 underwent MIE and 324 underwent open surgery. The number of lymph nodes resected did not significantly differ between the MIE and open surgery groups(21.1 ± 4.3 vs 20.4 ± 3.8, respectively, P = 0.0944). The p N+ rate of stage T3 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the open surgery group was higher than that in the MIE group(16.3% vs 11.4%, P = 0.031), but no differences was observed for stages T1 and T2 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The LNS rate at left para-recurrent laryngeal nerve(RLN) site was significantly higher for open surgery than for MIE(80.2% vs 43.9%, P 0.001), but no differences were noted at other sites. The LNM rate at left para-RLN site in the open surgery group was significantly higher than that in the MIE group, regardless of pathologic T stage. CONCLUSION: For stages T1 and T2 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, the lymph node dissection result after MIE was comparable to that achieved by open surgery. However, the efficacy of MIE in lymphadenectomy for stage T3 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, particularly at left para-RLN site, remains to be improved.     

Regional lymphadenectomy for gallbladder cancer: rational extent, technical details, and patient outcomes

AIM: To define the rational extent of regional lymphadenectomy for gallbladder cancer and to clarify its effect on long-term survival.METHODS: A total of 152 patients with gallbladder cancer who underwent a minimum of “extended” portal lymph node dissection (defined as en bloc removal of the first- and second-echelon nodes) from 1982 to 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Based on previous studies, regional lymph nodes of the gallbladder were divided into first-echelon nodes (cystic duct or pericholedochal nodes), second-echelon nodes (node groups posterosuperior to the head of the pancreas or around the hepatic vessels), and more distant nodes.RESULTS: Among the 152 patients (total of 3352 lymph nodes retrieved, median of 19 per patient), 79 patients (52%) had 356 positive nodes. Among node-positive patients, the prevalence of nodal metastasis was highest in the pericholedochal (54%) and cystic duct (38%) nodes, followed by the second-echelon node groups (29% to 19%), while more distant node groups were only rarely (5% or less) involved. Disease-specific survival after R0 resection differed according to the nodal status (P < 0.001): most node-negative patients achieved long-term survival (median, not reached; 5-year survival, 80%), whereas among node-positive patients, 22 survived for more than 5 years (median, 37 mo; 5-year survival, 43%).CONCLUSION: The rational extent of lymphadenectomy for gallbladder cancer should include the first- and second-echelon nodes. A considerable proportion of node-positive patients benefit from such aggressive lymphadenectomy.     

Prognostic assessment of different lymph node staging methods for pancreatic cancer with R0 resection: pN staging,lymph node ratio,log odds of positive lymph nodes

Background and aimsSurvival after surgical resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is poor. Several prognostic factors such as the status of the resection margin, lymph node status, or tumour grading have been identified. The aims of the present study were to evaluate and compare the prognostic assessment of different lymph nodes staging methods: standard lymph node (pN) staging, metastatic lymph node ratio (LNR), and log odds of positive lymph nodes (LODDS) in pancreatic cancer after pancreatic resection.Materials and methodsData were retrospectively collected from 143 patients who had undergone R0 pancreatic resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Survival curves (Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazard models), accuracy, and homogeneity of the 3 methods (LNR, LODDS, and pN) were compared to evaluate the prognostic effects.ResultsMultivariate analysis demonstrated that LODDS and LNR were an independent prognostic factors, but not pN classification. The scatter plots of the relationship between LODDS and the LNR suggested that the LODDS stage had power to divide patients with the same ratio of node metastasis into different groups. For patients in each of the pN or LNR classifications, significant differences in survival could be observed among patients in different LODDS stages.ConclusionLODDS and LNR are more powerful predictors of survival than the lymph node status in patients undergoing pancreatic resection for ductal adenocarcinoma. LODDS allows better prognostic stratification comparing LNR in node negative patients.     

Ex Vivo Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping in Colorectal Cancer

INTRODUCTION Sentinel lymph node mapping has been used in clinical work in malignant melanoma and breast cancer and shown an advantage over routine regional lymphadenectomy. The technique has been applied to colorectal cancer, but concerns over accuracy and high false-negative rates have restricted its use in the routine clinical setting. Most published series have used the in vivo technique and only three studies have been published in which the ex vivo technique was used. The aim of this study was to report the results of a larger study of ex vivo sentinel node mapping.METHODS All patients with colorectal cancer were considered for the trial, except patients who received preoperative radiotherapy for rectal cancer. All specimens were examined in the operating room within 30 minutes of resection. After opening the bowel, 0.5 ml of patent blue dye was injected submucosally at four sites immediately adjacent to the tumor (2 ml). The pathologic examination of the sentinel nodes and of an equal number of nonsentinel nodes consisted of standard hematoxylin and eosin sectioning, followed by multiple sectioning for further hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry if initial samples did not show tumor metastases.RESULTS A total of 58 tumors in 57 patients were studied. One or more sentinel nodes were found in relation to 56 tumors, with one of the two failures being attributed to gross mesenteric metastases obstructing lymphatic flow. A mean of 2.93 (0–8) sentinel nodes were found per patient. There was concordance between the sentinel nodes and nonsentinel nodes in 43 patients (76.8 percent). There were nine false-negative sentinel nodes (16 percent). Two patients were upstaged by detailed pathologic examination of the sentinel nodes (micrometastases), and in a further two patients the sentinel node was the only positive node on simple hematoxylin and eosin sectioning.CONCLUSIONS The technique of ex vivo sentinel node mapping is feasible and accurate in defining sentinel nodes in colorectal cancer. There is, however, a significant false-negative rate making the sentinel nodes not representative of the lymph node basin. This precludes the use of this technique in routine clinical practice. There may be a role in a research setting to help define the prognostic significance of micrometastases.Supported by grants from AP-HP, Paris, France, Contrat de Recherche Clinique 01018.Read at the meeting of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Dallas, Texas, May 8 to 13, 2004.Reprints are not available.     

Routine lymph node dissection may be not suitable for all intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients: Results of a monocentric series

AIM:To investigate the indications for lymph node dissection(LND)in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients.METHODS:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 124 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)patients who had undergone surgical resection of ICC from January 2006 to December 2007.Curative resection was attempted for all patients unless there were metastases to lymph nodes(LNs)beyond the hepatoduodenal ligament.Prophylactic LND was performed in patients in whom any enlarged LNs had been suspicious for metastases.The patients were classified according to the LND and LN metastases.Clinicopathologic,operative,and long-term survival data were collected retrospectively.The impact on survival of LND during primary resection was analyzed.RESULTS:Of 53 patients who had undergone hepatic resection with curative intent combined with regional LND,11 had lymph nodes metastases.Whether or not patients without lymph node involvement had undergone LND made no significant difference to their survival(P=0.822).Five patients with multiple tumors and involvement of lymph nodes underwent hepatic resection with LND;their survival curve did not differ significantly from that of the palliative resection group(P=0.744).However,there were significant differences in survival between patients with lymph node involvement and a solitary tumor who underwent hepatic resection with LND and the palliative resection group(median survival time 12 mo vs 6.0 mo,P=0.013).CONCLUSION:ICC patients without lymph node involvement and patients with multiple tumors and lymph node metastases may not benefit from aggressive lymphadenectomy.Routine LND should be considered with discretion.