306例肺癌的淋巴结转移规律

目的 探讨可切除性肺癌的胸内淋巴结转移规律。方法 从l992年1月至2000年l2月，对306例肺癌患者施行根治性切除术和系统性胸内淋巴结清扫，分别记录各区淋巴结的数量、大小、颜色和质地，并进行病理检查。结果 全组共清扫胸内2456个区的46l4个淋巴结，平均每例15.1个。经病理检查证实其中521个区的954个淋巴结存在转移癌。胸内淋巴结的转移率高达61．8％，纵隔淋巴结的转移率高达43．5％。围绕肺门或肺根部的11、10、7、5和4区淋巴结的转移频度比远离肺根部的9、6、3、2、l区淋巴结高。小细胞肺癌的淋巴结转移率明显高于非小细胞肺癌(P＜0.01)。淋巴结转移率与淋巴结的大小、颜色和质地均有密切关系(尸＜0.00l，P＜0.00l，P＜0.001)。结论 多数肺癌的淋巴结转移遵循由近及远、自下而上、由肺内经肺门再向纵隔的顺序转移规律，少数纵隔淋巴结转移呈“跳跃式”。肺切除术时施行系统性胸内淋巴结清扫是必要的。

The metastatic pattern of thoracic lymph nodes in 306 patients with lung cancer

Objective To study the metastatic pattern of thoracic lymph nodes in patients with resectable lung cancer. Methods From January 1992 to December 2000, radical lobectomy or pneumonectomy and systemic lymphadenectomy were performed in 306 patients with lung cancer. Number, size, colour and hardness of lymph nodes in each region were recorded and neoplastic metastasis was examined by pathology. Results Out of 4 614 resected lymph nodes from 2 456 regions, 954 lymph nodes from 521 regions were confirmed to have metastasis. The metastatic rates of thoracic lymph nodes and mediastinal lymph nodes were 61.8% and 43.5% , respectively. The metastatic frequencies in regions around the hilar or root of lung (11,10,7,5,4) were higher than those of regions far from the root of lung (9,6,3,2,1). There was a remarkably higher metastatic rate of lymph nodes in small cell lung cancer than that in non small cell lung cancer (P< 0.01 ). The metastatic rate was closely related to size, colour and hardness of lymph nodes (P<0.001, P< 0.001 , P< 0.001 ). Conclusion Most of neoplastic metastasis of lymph nodes spreads from proximal to distal areas, lower to upper regions, and from the hilar to the mediastinal. A few mediastinal lymph nodes show a skipping pattern. It is necessary to perform systemic lymphadenectomy during pulmonary resection.