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DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1704389
QUANTIFICATION OF LYMPHOVASCULAR INVASION IS USEFUL TO PREDICT LYMPH NODE METASTASES IN PATIENTS WITH SUBMUCOSAL (T1B) ESOPHAGEAL ADENOCARCINOMA
Publikationsverlauf
Publikationsdatum:
23. April 2020 (online)
Aims Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is an important prognostic factor for lymph node metastases (LNM) in patients with submucosal esophageal adenocarcinoma (T1b EAC). Currently, LVI is classified as present or absent. The aim of this study was to determine whether quantification of LVI provides additional prognostic information in patients with pT1b EAC.
Methods Patients diagnosed with pT1b EAC between 1989-2017 and treated with surgery or endoscopic resection, were included in this nationwide multicenter retrospective cohort study. Primary endpoints were the presence of LNM in surgically resected specimens (≥12 resected lymph nodes), or the development of pathologically confirmed metastases during follow-up. All resection specimens were reassessed by three gastrointestinal pathologists. Patients were categorized into 3 groups based on the number of LVI foci: no-LVI, low-LVI (1 LVI focus), and high-LVI (≥2 LVI foci). Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to identify risk factors for metastases.
Results The cohort consisted of 283 patients with pT1b EAC. Median age was 66 years (IQR: 58-72), 87% was male. LVI was distributed as follows: no-LVI (n=222; 78.4%), low-LVI (n=19; 6.7%), high-LVI (n=42; 14.8%). 93 (32.9%) patients had LNM or distant metastases. The rate of metastases was higher in patients with high-LVI (78.6%), compared to patients with low-LVI (42.1%; p< 0.01) or no-LVI (23.4%; p< 0.01). The rate of metastases was not higher in patients with low-LVI (42.1%) compared to no-LVI (23.4%; p=0.07). Corrected for invasion depth and differentiation grade, the Hazard Ratios (HRs) for low-LVI and high-LVI were 1.9 (95% CI 0.9-4.1) and 3.5 (95% CI 2.2-5.6), respectively. When using LVI as a binary variable; HR was 3.0 (95% CI 1.9-4.5).
Conclusions Patients with ≥2 LVI foci have an increased risk of developing metastases, compared to patients with only 1 LVI focus. Quantification of LVI is useful to identify pT1b EAC patients who have a high risk of developing metastases.
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