title: Results of a nation-wide retrospective study of lymphadenectomy for esophagogastric junction carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Esophagogastric junction (EGJ) carcinoma has attracted considerable attention because of the marked increase in its incidence globally. However, the optimal extent of esophagogastric resection for this tumor entity remains highly controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a questionnaire-based national retrospective study undertaken in an attempt to define the optimal extent of lymph node dissection for EGJ cancer. Data from patients with EGJ carcinoma, less than 40 mm in diameter, who underwent R0 resection between January 2001 and December 2010 were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical records of 2807 patients without preoperative therapy were included in the analysis. There are distinct disparities in terms of the nodal dissection rate according to histology and the predominant tumor location. Nodal metastases frequently involved the abdominal nodes, especially those at the right and left cardia, lesser curvature and along the left gastric artery. Nodes along the distal portion of the stomach were much less often metastatic, and their dissection seemed unlikely to be beneficial. Lower mediastinal node dissection might contribute to improving survival for patients with esophagus-predominant EGJ cancer. However, due to low dissection rates for nodes of the middle and upper mediastinum, no conclusive result was obtained regarding the optimal extent of nodal dissection in this region.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complete nodal clearance along the distal portion of the stomach offers marginal survival benefits for patients with EGJ cancers less than 4 cm in diameter. The optimal extent of esophageal resection and the benefits of mediastinal node dissection remain issues to be addressed in managing patients with esophagus-predominant EGJ cancers.
authors: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan. hyamashi-tky@umin.net.
authors: Hiroharu
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9468-3716
authors: H
authors: Yamashita
authors: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
authors: Yasuyuki
authors: Y
authors: Seto
authors: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Cancer Institute Hospital, 3-8-31, Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-8550, Japan.
authors: Takeshi
authors: T
authors: Sano
authors: Department of Surgery, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan.
authors: Hiroyasu
authors: H
authors: Makuuchi
authors: International Goodwill Hospital, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 245-0006, Japan.
authors: Nobutoshi
authors: N
authors: Ando
authors: Department of Multidisciplinary Surgical Oncology, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1, Mukogawacho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan.
authors: Mitsuru
authors: M
authors: Sasako
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adenocarcinoma; Esophagogastric junction; Proximal gastrectomy; Squamous cell carcinoma