[The number of lymph node with metastases influences survival in patients with cancer of the thoracic esophagus].
OBJECTIVE
To study the extent of lymph node involvement in relation to survival of patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma.


METHODS
From 1990 to 1993, there were 112 patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma undergone esophagectomy through right thoracotomy and three-field lymphadenectomy. They were classified into three groups: group A, 44 patients without lymph node involvement; group B, 36 patients with 1 to 3 positive nodes; group C, 32 patients with > or = 4 involved lymph nodes. Nine possible factors influencing survival were studied. A multivariate analysis of these variables was performed using the cumulative survival rate by the computer's Cox proportional hazard model.


RESULTS
The over-all cumulative survival rate was 58.4% at 5 years. That for patients in group A, B and C was 88.4%, 50.8% and 20.8%, respectively. Apart from the extent of lymph node metastases, depth of tumor invasion, location and differentiation of tumor were of prognostic significance.


CONCLUSIONS
Lymph node metastasis is the major factor affecting survival of patients with cancer of the thoracic esophagus.
Xu
Y
Y
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zhenjiang Medical College, Zhenjiang 212001, China.
Guo
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology