[Influence of the number of lymph node metastasis on survival and significance of postoperative radiotherapy for esophageal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the influence of the number of lymph node metastasis on survival and prophylactic postoperative radiotherapy after radical resection of thoracic esophageal carcinoma.


METHODS
Four hundred and ninety-five patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer who had undergone radical resection were randomly divided into surgery group alone (S, 275) and surgery plus radiotherapy group (S + R, 220). The patients were classified into three groups: Group A: 234 patients (47.2%) without lymph node involvement; Group B: 146 patients (29.5%) with 1 to 2 involved lymph nodes and Group C: 115 patients (23.2%) with >or= 3 involved lymph nodes.


RESULTS
1. The 5-year survival rate in Groups A, B and C for the same T stage (T3) was 52.6%, 28.8% and 10.9%, respectively (P = 0.0000); the 5-year survival rate in group C was 0% in S group and 19.3% in S + R group (P = 0.0336); 2. In the positive lymph node group, the metastatic rate of intra-thoracic and supraclavicular lymph node was 35.9% and 21.2% in S group and 19.7% and 4.4% in S+R group (P = 0.014 and P = 0.000). In the negative lymph node group, the metastatic rates of intra-thoracic lymph node was 27.8% in S group and 10.3% in S + R group (P = 0.003). The metastatic rate of intra-abdominal lymph node in Groups A, B and C was 3.9%, 9.4% and 17.5%, respectively (P = 0.0000). The occurrence of hematogenous metastasis was most frequent in group C (27.8%) with >or= 3 positive lymph nodes.


CONCLUSIONS
1. The number of metastatic lymph node is one of the important factors which affects the survival of thoracic esophageal carcinoma. 2. Chemotherapy might be given to the patients with three or more lymph nodes involved who have the possibility of developing hematogenous metastasis. Postoperative radiotherapy can reduce the occurrence of intra-thoracic and supraclavicular lymph node metastasis and improve the survival of patients with three or more lymph nodes involvement.
Xiao
Ze-fen
ZF
Department of Radiation Oncology & Thoracic Surgery Oncology, Cancer Institute (Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
Yang
Zong-yi
ZY
Wang
Lü-hua
LH
Zhang
Hong-xing
HX
Feng
Qin-fu
QF
Chen
Dong-fu
DF
Zhou
Zong-mei
ZM
Zhang
De-chao
DC
Sun
Ke-lin
KL
Cheng
Gui-yu
GY
He
Jie
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate