Lymph Nodes Metastasis Pattern and Prognosis of Resected T1 Esophageal Cancer

Park, Chang Ryul; Park, Seung Il; Kim, Dong Kwan; Kim, Yong Hee; Kim, Jong Wook

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Lymph node metastasis is commonly reported in thoracic esophageal cancer, even in the early esophageal cancer which may be localized only in the mucosa or within the submucosal layer. Although lymph node metastasis greatly influence long-term outcome and cure of the disease, endoscopic mucosal resection or photodynamic therapy without lymph node dissection is widely attempted. The investigation of the pattern of lymph node metastasis and results of surgical resection of superficial esophageal cancer is needed. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Pattern of lymph node metastsis and depth of tumor invasion were studied retrospectively from 44 patients with early esophageal cancer who underwent radical resection of the tumor from December, 1995 to August, 2001. RESULT: Lymph node metastasis was found in 10 patients (22.7%) out of total of 44 patients. Lymph node metastasis was found in 0% (0 of 3), 0% (0 of 4), 50% (2 of 4), and 24.24% (8 of 33) of tumors that invaded the intraepitherium, lamina propria, muscularis mucosa, and submucosa respectively. Anatomically distant lymph node metastases were found more frequently in recurrent laryngeal nerve node(5 cases of 10 patients) and in intraperitoneal node (8 cases of 10). than intrathoracic node (3 cases of 10). There was no operative mortality, however, there were 1 hospital death in patient with lamina propria cancer, 1 late death in patient with submucosal cancer. Three-year survival rates (except hospital death) were 100% in mucosal cancer and 97.0% in submucosal cancer (p>0.05), and 100% in the node negative group and 90.0% in the node positive group (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION
The survival rate of superficial esophageal cancer patient who was recieved operative resection was excellent. But, lymph node metastasis were found in superficial esophageal cancer, even in esophageal cancer limited to the muscularis mucosa. Systemic lymph node dissection which includes recurrent laryngeal nerve nodes and intraperitoneal nodes was recommended for favorable outcome in superficial esophageal cancer.