title: Outcome and treatment strategy for mid- and lower-thoracic esophageal cancer recurring locally in the lymph nodes of the neck.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to assess the outcome of treatment for patients with recurrent mid- and lower-thoracic esophageal cancers in whom recurrence was localized to the lymph nodes of the neck, and to determine the best strategy for further treatment. Between 1989 and 2001, 270 patients with mid- and lower-thoracic esophageal cancer underwent curative esophagectomy; 90 of those patients had a cancer recurrence. Our focus was on lymph node recurrence, especially when the recurrent cancers were localized to the lymph nodes in the neck. The outcomes of those patients and the efficacy of the strategies used to treat the recurrent cancers were determined. In 43 patients (48%), recurrent cancer initially appeared in the lymph nodes. Among the 43 patients, 15 (35%) had localized neck recurrence. The time between tumor recurrence and death among the 15 patients with localized neck recurrence was significantly longer than among the 28 patients with other recurrence patterns. In addition, 15 patients underwent lymph node resection, while 28 patients were treated non-surgically. The time between tumor recurrence and death was significantly longer in patients treated surgically. Of the 15 patients in whom recurrence affected the neck lymph nodes only, 10 (67%) were treated surgically; their 2-year survival rate after recurrence was 45%. The outcomes of recurrent esophageal cancers localized to the lymph nodes of the neck were better than those seen with other recurrence patterns, and salvage resection followed by chemoradiation therapy would seem to be indicated for those patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Akita University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan. motoyama@doc.med.akita-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Motoyama
authors.forename: Michihiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: Reijiro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Kiyotomi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okuyama
authors.forename: Jun-ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ogawa
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011336:Probability; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome