ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of CD133 protein in primary lesions of gastric cancer and its clinical significance. MethodsThe expressions of CD133 protein in the primary lesion of tumor and normal gastric mucosa tissues confirmed by using histopathologic examination of 99 patients were detected by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation of CD133 protein expression with the clinicopathologic parameters and features after operation were analyzed. ResultsPositive cells of CD133 protein were localized in the gland parietal and cell membrane surface. The expression of CD133 protein in the cancer and normal gastric mucosa tissues were 29.29% (29/99) and zero, respectively (P=0.000). Expression of CD133 protein in tumor with diameter gt;5 cm was significantly higher than that in the tumor with diameter ≤5 cm (P=0.041). The expression of CD133 protein was correlated with TNM stage (P=0.044), lymph node metastasis (P=0.017), lymphatic vessel invasion (P=0.000), and vascular invasion (P=0.000). Logistic regression analysis revealed that invasion depth of tumor (P=0.011), lymph node metastasis (P=0.043), and TNM stage (P＝0.049) were independent risk factors for CD133 protein expression. Survival time of patients with positive expression of CD133 protein was significantly shorter than that negative expression of CD133 protein (P＝0.046). Cox proportial hazard regression model analysis demonstrated that lymph node metastasis (P=0.042), TNM stage (P=0.046), and positive expression of CD133 protein (P=0.046) were independent risk factors for patients survival. ConclusionThe CD133 protein expression in primary lesions is closely related with development, metastasis, and prognosis of gastric cancer.
Objective To study the effects of partial axillary lymph node dissection (PALD) on prognosis and upper limb function in patients with breast cancer. Methods Ninety-eight breast cancer patients with stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ were randomly divided into two groups and different surgical procedures following modified mastectomy were performed: partial axillary lymph node (level Ⅰ and Ⅱ) dissection (PALD) group (n=48) and total axillary lymph node (levelⅠ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ) dissection (TALD) group (n=50). The longterm positive relapse rate and upper limb function between 2 groups were compared. Results During the follow-up of 5 to 10 years (average 4.5 years), there were 2 cases (4.2%) of local recurrence on chest wall and one case (2.1%) of recurrence in axillary lymph node and one case (2.1%) of recurrence in supraclavicular lymph node in PALD group, and 2 cases (4.0%) of local recurrence on chest wall and no axillary lymph node recurrence and one case (2.0%) of recurrence in supraclavicular lymph node happened in TALD group. There was no statistical difference between PALD group and TALD group (Pgt;0.05). The incidence of upper limb edema and dysfunction was 4.2% (2/48) in PALD group and 16.0%(8/50) in TALD group (P＜0.01). There was no significant statistical difference of 5year and 10year survival rate between PALD group and TALD group (89.6% vs. 88.0%， 79.2% vs. 78.0%，Pgt;0.05). Conclusion PALD may reduce upper limb dysfunction after operation in patients with stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ breast cancer, and does not increase prognostic risk.
Objective To investigate the related factors affecting the metastases to left gastric artery lymph nodes in patients of esophageal cancer, and evaluate the clinical significance of resection of left gastric artery. Methods One hundred and eighty-six patients with esophageal cancer undergone esophagectomy and esophagogastrostomy were involved in these case-control study. The left gastric artery, lymph nodes and fat tissue around it were removed in these patients. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the occurrence of metastases to para left gastric artery lymph nodes. Chi-square test, rank sum test, t-test and the logistic regression were adopted to analyze the correlations between these related factors and the metastases to para left gastric artery lymph nodes. Results Thirty-three patients had para left gastric artery lymph nodes metastases （17. 74%）. Related factors that affect the metastases to para left gastric artery lymph nodes were showed by monovariate analysis as follows： TNM staging of tumor, the metastases to paraesophageal nodes, paracardial nodes and subcarinal nodes （P〈0.001, P=0.025, 0.047,0.038）. Multivariate analysis showed that location of tumor was the only independent factor that influences the metastases of para left gastric artery lymph nodes（P= 0. 002）. Skip metastasis was a distinct feature of esophageal cancer, with a frequency of 78.79%（26/33）. Conclusions This study suggests that the major correlative factor of para left gastric artery lymph node metastasis is location of tumor. Resection of left gastric artery as a routine procedure in radical operation of esophageal cancer should be considered.
ObjectiveTo discuss the pattern of lymph node metastasis for Siewert type Ⅱ adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction and its appropriate surgical approach. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 162 patients with Siewert type Ⅱ adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction who underwent curative resection in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2007 through February 2010. The patients were divided into three groups based on their surgical approach, including 96 patients in a left thoracic group, 20 patients in an Ivor-Lewis group and 46 patients in an abdominal group. ResultsThere were 120 patients with lymph node metastasis. The lymph node metastatic rate was 74.1%. Simple thoracic lymph node metastasis was observed only in 2 patients (1.7%), 98 patients (81.7%) with simple abdominal lymph node metastasis, and 20 patients (16.6%) with both capacity lymph node metastasis. The thoracic approaches had an advantage in dissection lower mediastinal lymph node over the abdominal approach, while for the abdominal lymph node the result was reversed. There are 11 groups of lymph node with a more than 10% metastatic rate. ConclusionsThe abdominal lymph nodes are the dominating metastatic area of Siewert type Ⅱ AEG, but some important groups of lower mediastinal lymph node should be removed. In terms of curative resection of tumor, the Ivor-Lewis operated by a thoracic surgeon who is more familiar with the abdominal lymph node may be a reasonable choice.
Objective To evaluate the adoption of carbon nano-particle in the pathologic examination of lymph node for lower rectal cancer. Methods Sixty consecutive patients with rectal cancers located at or below the peritoneal reflection were randomly allocated to the routine method group or the group using carbon nano-particle. Resultsof pathologic examination were compared. Results Altogether, 1 070 lymph nodes were examined from the 2 study groups. The average examined number of the carbon nano-particle group was (20.2±4.9)/case, which was significantly higher than the other group 〔(15.4±6.8)/case〕, P=0.003. More tiny lymph nodes were examined in the nano-particle group (P=0.029) and more metastases were proved from the lymph nodes dyed by nano-particle (P=0.000). The majority of examined lymph nodes were located along the superior rectal vessel and its branches. ConclusionAdoption of nano-particle in pathologic examination of rectal cancer surgery can increase the examined number of lymph nodes, while detect small nodes harboring cancer, thus ensuring the correctness of pathologic report. The distribution of mesorectal lymph nodes underlines the execution of TME principle in dissection.
Objective To assess the applied significance of carbon nanoparticles in central compartment lymph node dissection in treatment of cN0 papillary thyroid carcinoma. Methods Sixty-eight patients with cN0 papillary thyroid carcinoma who were treated in Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College from May. to Oct. in 2012 were randomly allocated to the control group （n=32） and the carbon nanoparticles trace group （tracer group， n=36）， receiving non-carbon nanoparticles trace and carbon nanoparticles trace respectively. All patients were received total resection of thyroid plus the affected side and （or） contralateral side central compartment lymph node dissection. The lymph node-related indexes（including number of dissected lymph node at Ⅵarea and lymph node metastasis rate at Ⅵarea） and operative indexs （including operation time， blood loss， drainage time， complication， and hospital stay） were collected and compared between the 2 groups. Results There were 205 and 324 dissected lymph node at central compartment in control group and tracer group respectively. The results of postoperative pathology showed that the number of lymph node in central compartment of the tracer group was much more than those of control group （8.99±2.24 vs. 6.41±1.56， P＜0.001）. The metastasis rate of central compartment lymph node were 40.6% （13/32） in control group and 47.2% （17/36） in tracer group， but there was no significant difference between the 2 groups （P=0.762）. But in medial area of laryngeal recurrent nerve， the metastasis rate in the tracer group （38.9%， 14/36） was much higher than those of control group （12.5%， 4/32）， P=0.029. There were no significant differences in the operation time， blood loss， drainage time， hospital stay， and complication incidence such as bleeding， temporary hypocalcemia， and injury of superior laryngeal nerve between 2 groups （P＞0.05）. All the patients in 2 groups had followed-up for 6 months without death， recurrence， and metastasis.Conclusions The lymphatic tracer technique of carbon nanoparticles may improve the number of dissected lymph nodes in central region of cN0 papillary thyroid carcinoma， without increasing （or prolonging） operation time， intraoperative blood loss， and postoperative hospital stay， and can accurately represent the metastasis of lymph node， thus to make the staging of the tumor accurately and guide postoperative treatment.
ObjectiveTo compare effectiveness and safety of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and thoracotomy in lymph node (LN) dissection for lung cancer. MethodsA comprehensive search of PubMed, Ovid Medline, EMbase, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, the Cochrane Library, Scopus and Google Scholar was performed to identify studies (from January 1990 to July 2015) comparing VATS with thoracotomy in LN dissection. The data were analyzed by RevMan 5.3 software. Quality of literature was evaluated by Newcastle-Ottawa scale or Jadad scale. ResultsFifty-one articles met the inclusion criteria involved 7 127 patients in the VATS group and 9 217 patients in the thoracotomy group. Thirty-eight articles were of good quality and the remaining thirteen were medium. Meta-analysis showed that fewer N1 LN stations in the VATS group (95% CI -0.23 to -0.04, P=0.005), although VATS harvested more left-side LNs (95% CI 0.51 to 3.22, P=0.007). The number of total LNs (95% CI -1.81 to 0.28, P=0.15), total LN stations (95% CI -0.34 to 0.15, P=0.44), N2 LNs (95%CI -1.77 to 0.79, P=0.45), N2 LN stations (95% CI -0.22 to 0.16, P=0.78), N1 LNs (95% CI -0.95 to 0.11, P=0.12), and right-side LNs (95% CI -1.52 to 2.23, P=0.71) harvested in the two groups were not significantly different. ConclusionIn the surgical treatment of lung cancer, VATS can achieve the same efficacy of LN dissection as thoracotomy. This conclusion still needs to be further proved by more high-quality and large-scale RCTs.
Objective To investigate the lymph node micrometastasis and its clinicopathologic features on 5-year disease free survival rate for patients with pT1—3N0 gastric cancer. Methods One hundred and twenty patients with stage pT1—3N0 gastric tumors were included, and 2 106 lymph nodes were harvested and examined in all the specimens. There were 9－28 lymph nodes with average 18 lymph nodes from each patient. All the lymph nodes were negative by HE staining. The CK20 expression of lymph nodes was tested by immunohistochemistry. The relationships between clinicopathologic features or CK positive expression and 5-year disease free survival were analyzed. Results The positive expression rate of CK20 was 9.07% (191/2 106) in lymph nodes and 26.67% (32/120) in patients with pT1—3N0 gastric cancer by immunohistochemistry. Eleven cases were with micriometastasis, 21 cases were isolated tumor cells (ITC). The average postoperative follow-up was 66.35 (range 24—121) months. Five-year disease free survival rates were 87.4%, 78.3%, and 40.9% for the lymph node negative, ITC, and micrometastasis groups, respectively. Five-year disease free survival rate in the micrometastasis group was lower than that in the lymph node negative group (P=0.000) and ITC group (P=0.046). However, there was no significant difference between the lymph node negative group and ITC group （P=0.253）. Multivariate analysis identified tumor diameter (P=0.011), depth of tumor invasion (P=0.043), and lymphatic vessel invasion (P=0.002) were related with CK20 positive expression. There was no significant relationship between the pathologic parameters and the 5-year disease free survival rates. Lymph node micrometastasis of gastric cancer was detected in 11 patients who should belong to stage pN1(Mi), the restage rate was 9.17%. While the lymph node negative (88 patients) and ITC (21 patients) were recorded pN0(i-) and pN0(i+), respectively, and were not recommended restage (stage pN0). Conclusion Patients with stage pT1—3N0 gastric cancer and micrometastasis in lymph node are with high-risk and low 5-year disease free survival rate, for whom adjuvant therapies may be justified and effective.
Objective To investigate the expression of claudin-1 in breast tumor tissues and the relationship of development and progress of breast neoplasm．Methods The expressions of claudin-1 in 89 cases of breast cancer and 37 benign breast diseases were tested by tissue chip technology and immunohistochemistry．The relationships of claudin-1 expression to the lymph node metastasis，TNM staging，maximum diameter of the tumor，and histology grade were statistically analyzed．Results The expression of claudin-1 in the breast cancer was significantly lower than that in the benign breast disease（χ2=19.20，P=0.000 2）．The claudin-1 expression in the patients with lymph node metastasis was significantly lower than that without lymph node metastasis （χ2=3.85，P=0.049 7）．The claudin-1 expression in the stageⅢ of TNM staging was weaker than that in the stage Ⅰ（χ2=5.29，P=0.021 4） and stage Ⅱ （χ2=7.46，P=0.006 3），respectively. There was no significant difference of the claudin-1 expression in the different maximum diameters of tumor （χ2=1.58，P=0.453 8） or histology grades （χ2=1.02，P=0.600 5），respectively．Conclusions The expression of claudin-1 might be correlated with the occurrence，development，and metastasis in breast tumor．It may be one of the potential indicator for lymph node metastasis and prognosis assessment in breast cancer．
ObjectiveTo evaluate the prognostic significance of metastatic lymph nodes ratio (MLNR) in patients with node-positive breast cancer. MethodsThe clinical data of 94 patients with nodepositive breast cancer underwent modified radical mastectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The survival rate and prognosis factors of patients with complete follow-up data were assessed by log-rank test and multivariate regression analysis. Results The survival time of 94 patients ranged from 12-75 months, with median 64 months. The 5-year overall survival rate was 72.34% (68/94). The total MLNR was 0.31 (486/1 553). Univariate analysis demonstrated that the survival was influenced significantly by tumor size, number of lymph node metastasis, MLNR, ER status, and radiotherapy or not (Plt;0.05), but not by patient’s age, menopause or not, PR status, endocrine therapy or not, and histological type (Pgt;0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that MLNR (OR=2.565, 95%CI=1.043-6.309， P=0.040) and tumor size (OR=2.220, 95%CI=1.045-4.716， P=0.038) were independent prognostic factors for the patients with node-positive breast cancer. Conclusion MLNR is a major independent prognostic factor for the patients with node-positive breast cancer, which is more accurate than the number of metastatic lymph nodes in predicting the survival of patients with node-positive breast cancer.