Isolated tumor cells in lymph nodes are not a prognostic marker for patients with stage I and stage II colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Lymph node metastasis is an important prognostic factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). The relationship between isolated tumor cells (ITC) in lymph nodes and the prognosis is controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic importance of ITC in lymph nodes from patients with stage I and II CRC.


METHODS
We examined all the lymph nodes obtained during surgery from 121 consecutive patients with stage I and II CRC after a curative resection in 1999 by using monoclonal antibody against cytokeratin (MNF116). Clinicopathologic data and follow-up information were obtained from all patients. The mean follow up duration was 57 months.


RESULTS
ITC were found in 50% (60/121) of the patients. The mean number of examined lymph node was 19.3 +/- 9.4. The presence of ITC was not related to clinicopathologic factors such as age, sex, location of tumor, tumor size, tumor depth, differentiation, lymphovascular invasion, and the preoperative CEA level, except for the tumor gross type (P = 0.002). There were no statistically significant differences for the recurrence rate (10/60 = 16.7% and 9/61 = 14.8%, respectively), and disease-free survival (P = 0.809) between the ITC positive group and ITC negative group.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of ITC detected by immunohistochemical staining does not have an influence on the prognosis of patients with stage I and II CRC.
Lee
Min Ro
MR
Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Chongno-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Hong
Chang Won
CW
Yoon
Sang Nam
SN
Lim
Seok-Byung
SB
Park
Kyu Joo
KJ
Lee
Min Jin
MJ
Kim
Woo Ho
WH
Park
Jae-Gahb
JG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen