Extended cervical mediastinoscopy in the staging of bronchogenic carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Extended cervical mediastinoscopy (ECM) is a technique in the staging of bronchogenic carcinoma described first by Ginsberg in 1984. To update our experience we have prospectively evaluated our results on 106 patients who underwent the technique from 1985 to 1998.


METHODS
The ECM technique is performed once the operability of the patient has been evaluated, according to the computed tomography findings. The intervention is carried out at the same time as a standard cervical mediastinoscopy through the same incision following the same technique as previously published. The ECM is considered positive when metastatic nodes or tumor involvement directly in the paraaortic or subaortic regions is detected and confirmed histologically. Negative cases of ECM and positive cases of standard cervical mediastinoscopy are excluded from this study. A false-negative ECM is defined as the presence of infiltrated adenopathies at the paraortic level detected on postoperative histologic study.


RESULTS
We had performed ECM in 106 patients, and a total of 13 were subsequently excluded for the reasons stated above. Of the remaining cases, 26 were positive, 61 negative and 6 had false-negative results with no false-positive results. Sensitivity was 81.2%, specificity 100%, accuracy 93.3%, positive predictive value 100%, and negative predictive value 91%. There were no complications with the technique.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that ECM is a useful technique for staging bronchogenic carcinoma that allows samples to be taken from paraortic and subaortic regions with minimally invasive techniques.
Freixinet Gilart
J
J
Thoracic Surgery and Respiratory Services, Hospital General Universitario de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Island. jfreixi@correo.hpino.rcanaria.es
García
P G
PG
de Castro
F R
FR
Suárez
P R
PR
Rodríguez
N S
NS
de Ugarte
A V
AV
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000473:pathology*; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000473:pathology; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008481:Mediastinoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity