title: Incidence and prognostic values of lymph node metastasis in operable hepatocellular carcinoma and evaluation of routine complete lymphadenectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To study lymph node metastasis (LNM) and prognosis in patients with operable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as well as the value of routine complete lymphadenectomy. Few studies have been reported on LNM in patients with operable HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lymph node enlargement of 968 patients with operable HCC was carefully explored and LNM was diagnosed by typical intraoperative findings or pathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine (5.1%) patients had LNM, which was associated with advanced tumor properties. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival in patients with LNM was poorer than those without LNM (62.0%, 31.0%, and 26.0% vs. 81.0%, 62.0%, and 47.0%, P = 0.000). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival in patients who received complete lymphadenectomy (n = 26) was poorer than those without LNM (68.0%, 31.0%, and 31.0% vs. 81.0%, 62.0%, and 47.0%, P = 0.017), and was not better than patients who received chemotherapy or radiotherapy (P = 0.944).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of LNM in operable HCC patients was low, and patients with LNM had a poorer prognosis. LNM status determined the disease-free survival but not the overall survival of HCC. The complete lymphadenectomy did not improve overall survival, as compared with chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Live Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. sunhc@zshospital.com
authors.forename: Hui-Chuan
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Peng-Yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Lun-Xiu
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Qing-Hai
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Ju-Bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yong-Bing
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Zhao-You
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000401:mortality*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate