title: Clinicopathological features in N0 oesophageal cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prognosis for patients with N0 oesophageal cancer is favourable, but relevant prognostic factors and appropriate surveillance protocols have not been identified for these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 210 oesophageal cancer patients were included in this study. Of these, 92 (43.8%) had no lymph node metastasis. Predictive factors for lymph node metastasis were evaluated in N0 oesophageal cancer. Survival, prognostic factors, causes of death and pattern of recurrence were assessed between patients with and without lymph node metastasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Logistic regression analysis revealed that depth of tumour invasion (T1) was an independent predictive factor for N0. The Cox proportional hazard regression model showed that venous invasion was an independent prognostic factor for disease-specific survival in N0 oesophageal cancer patients (hazard ratio=3.977, p=0.042). Locoregional recurrence was less frequent in patients with N0 oesophageal cancer (p=0.0319).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Meticulous and long-term follow-up is necessary even for patients with N0 oesophageal cancer, particularly for those with adverse prognostic factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Gastroenterological Center, Yokohama City University/4-57 Urafune-cho, Minami-ku, Yokohama 232-0024, Japan. s0714@med.yokohama-cu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Chikara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kunisaki
authors.forename: Hrochika
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takagawa
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kosaka
authors.forename: Hidetaka A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Hirotoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Itaru
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Endo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D015996:Survival Rate