DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY IN RESECABLE ESOPHAGEAL CANCER

In localized oesophageal cancer (EC), a correct clinical tumor staging is essential in order to offer an optimal treatment, although often challenging. The aim of this work is to assess the accuracy of the diagnostic tests by comparing them with the pathological staging. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective observational study of patients who underwent oesophagectomy for cancer in a referral hospital between January 2003 and September 2019. Those patients who received neoadjuvant treatment were excluded in order to avoid bias from dowstaging effects. The preoperative stage cT and cN as well as the combination of both (cTNM) were compared with the pathological stage of the surgical specimen (pT, pN, pTNM), considered the gold standard. Computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) were evaluated for cT and cN, while Positron emission tomography (PET/CT) only for cN. Furthermore, the pT stage was correlated with the tumor length described in the oesophagogram (EG). RESULTS Among the 63 patients included, the clinical staging was correct in 16 cases (global accuracy 25.4%), it was overstaged in 21 (33.2%) and understaged in 26 (41.3%). For cT staging, the accuracy of EUS was higher than that of CT (46.6% and 34.9% respectively), specially for early stages. EG tumor length correlated with pT stage (p < 0.05). For cN staging, PET/CT had the highest sensitivity (50.0%) and NPV (75.0%). CONCLUSIONS Despite the multiple diagnostic tools used, the global accuracy of clinical staging in localized EC is still a challenge, with the therapeutic and prognostic implications that this entails.