title: Prediction of lymph node status in patients with superficial esophageal carcinoma: analysis of 160 surgically resected cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ability to predict lymph node metastasis in cases of superficial esophageal carcinoma before surgery would allow the identification of specific patients who do not require additional surgical resection after endoscopic local resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1980 to 2002 a total of 160 patients with superficial esophageal carcinoma, Tis or T1 tumors, underwent subtotal esophagectomy with lymph node dissection. On the basis of clinicopathologic data the risk factors for lymph node metastases are discussed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with tumors that showed submucosal invasion, a nonflat shape, and lymphatic invasion had a higher risk for lymph node metastasis than the other patients. Multivariate analysis showed that the tumor depth and the macroscopic shape of the tumor were independent risk factors for lymph node metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Esophagectomy with lymph node dissection is recommended for patients with submucosal cancer. Local tumor resection can be recommended for patients with mucosal cancer without lymphatic invasion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Frontier Surgery (M9), Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. hshimada@faculty.chiba-u.jp
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nabeya
authors.forename: Hisahiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Shin-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okazumi
authors.forename: Tooru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shiratori
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Taito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Kiyohiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shuto
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akutsu
authors.forename: Takenori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ochiai
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009333:Neck