ObjectiveTo investigate the rule of lymph node metastasis and its relationship with prognosis in stage N1 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. MethodsThe clinical and follow-up data of 121 stage N1 (1 to 2 lymph node metastases) thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients, who underwent radical resection of esophageal carcinoma in our hospital from 2015 to 2017, were retrospectively analyzed. There were 104 (86.0%) males and 17 (14.0%) females with an average age of 64.9±8.3 years. ResultsThe early metastasis rates of the left upper paratracheal, right upper paratracheal, lower thoracic paraesophageal, paracardial, lesser curvature and greater curvature lymph nodes were 22.6%, 28.0%, 21.2%, 41.7%, 25.0% and 25.0%, respectively. The three-year survival rates in the group with and without left upper paratracheal lymph node metastasis were 8.3% and 34.9%, respectively (P=0.000). The three-year survival rates of the subcarinal lymph node metastasis group and the non-metastasis group were 10.5% and 36.3%, respectively (P=0.032). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that, left upper paratracheal lymph node metastasis (P=0.000) and subcarinal lymph node metastasis (P=0.010) were independent prognostic factors for early stage lymph node metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The three-year survival rates of patients with simple abdominal lymph node metastasis and those with simple thoracic lymph node metastasis were 51.1% and 25.0%, respectively (P=0.016). ConclusionThe lymph nodes of N1 stage thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma are more likely to metastasize to left upper paratracheal lymph nodes, right upper paratracheal lymph nodes, lower thoracic paraesophageal lymph nodes, paracardial lymph nodes, lesser curvature of stomach and greater curvature of stomach lymph nodes. Lymph node metastases of left upper paratracheal and subcarinal are independent factors for the prognosis of patients with stage N1 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The prognosis of patients with simple abdominal lymph node metastasis is better than that of patients with simple thoracic lymph node metastasis.
Local treatment improves the outcomes for oligometastatic disease, an intermediate state between locoregional and widespread disease. However, consensus about the definition, diagnosis and treatment of oligometastatic oesophagogastric cancer is lacking. The first edition "Definition, diagnosis and treatment of oligometastatic oesophagogastric cancer: A Delphi consensus study in Europe" was published on February 15, 2023 by 65 European medical specialists. In this article, the consensus will be interpreted to provide new idea for the diagnosis and treatment of oligometastatic oesophagogastric cancer for Chinese clinicians.
Objective To investigate the feasibility, safety, and short-term efficacy of minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (MIME) in patients with locally advanced thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC) after neoadjuvant immunotherapy. Methods The clinical data of the patients with locally advanced TESCC in the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China from July 2022 to March 2023 were restrospectively analyzed. They were divided into a neoadjuvant immunotherapy (NI) group and a non-neoadjuvant immunotherapy (NNI) group according to different preoperative neoadjuvant therapy. The perioperative clinical data and 3-month follow-up data were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 47 patients were collected, including 31 males and 16 females with a mean age of (67.57±7.64) years. There were 29 patients in the NI group and 18 patients in the NNI group. There were no statistical differences in baseline data, perioperative complications, short-term complications, surgical time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative adjuvant therapy, metastasis/recurrence within 3 months, R0 resection rate, postoperative pathological staging decline, and College of American Pathologists (CAP) tumor regression grade between the two groups (P＞0.05). Conclusion Neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy can be safely and effectively performed for patients with locally advanced TESCC without increasing operation time, intraoperative blood loss and perioperative complications.
Objective To evaluate clinical outcomes of complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery （VATS） lobectomy for patients with peripheral lung cancer.?Methods?We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 90 consecutive patients with peripheral lung cancer who underwent complete VATS lobectomy from July 2009 to December 2011 in Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University. There were 55 male patients and 35 female patients with their age of 33-79 （62.5 ±11.5） years. Lymph node dissection group and number, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of postoperative chest drainage, length of postoperative hospitalization, postoperative morbidity and pain score were analyzed.?Results?There was no hospital death in this group. Operation time was 135.0±32.5 min, intraoperative blood loss was 230.0±80.4 ml, length of postoperative chest drainage was 4.8±2.1 days, and pain score on the third postoperative day was 5.3±1.2. A total of 520 groups and 1 568 lymph nodes were dissected during the operation, with 5.8 groups and 17.4 lymph nodes dissected in each patient. There were 71 groups with lymph node metastasis, a positive rate of 13.7% （71/520）. Postoperatively, 2 patients had hoarseness and 3 patients had chylothorax, who were all cured after proper treatment. Ninety patients were followed up for 1-24 months. During follow-up, 4 patients died of tumor metastasis, and other patients were all alive with good quality of life.?Conclusion?Complete VATS lobectomy is a minimally invasive technique for patients with peripheral lung cancer with better postoperative recovery and reduced pain level. The safety and degree of radical resection of complete VATS lobectomy is similar to those of routine thoracotomy lobectomy. Complete VATS lobectomy can be recommended as a surgical treatment for patients with peripheral lung cancer.