Controllable metastasis: the trap for the esophageal cancer cells?
The prognosis of esophageal cancer (EC) remains poor, lymph node metastasis is one of the most important factors for determining the prognosis of patients with EC. Extensive lymph node dissection has long been considered as the favorable procedure to achieve an accurate pathologic staging and a better prognosis. However, the effect of extensive lymphadenectomy during esophagectomy on survival of EC patients has been doubted. Herein we present the hypotheses that the selective lymphadenectomy might be a potential strategy for EC by creating the traps of cancer cells. Once metastatic cancer cells immersed in, patients will acquire remarkable survival profit by surgical removal these traps.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, People's Republic of China.
Wei
W
Guo
Zheng
Z
Ma
Yun-Ping
YP
Zhao
Yao-Guang
YG
Jiang
D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008954:Models, Biological; D011379:Prognosis