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Higher lymph node harvest in patients with a pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant therapy for esophageal cancer is associated with improved survival
Author(s) -
Lutfi Waseem,
MartinezMeehan Deirdre,
Dhupar Rajeev,
Christie Neil,
Sarkaria Inderpal,
Ekeke Chigozirim,
Baker Nicholas,
Luketich James D.,
Okusanya Olugbenga T.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.25846
Subject(s) - medicine , neoadjuvant therapy , esophageal cancer , lymph node , complete response , oncology , esophagectomy , cancer , chemotherapy , radiology , breast cancer
Background and Objectives Lymph node harvest during esophagectomy has been associated with improved survival for esophageal cancer but the value of enhanced lymph node harvest following complete pathologic response (pCR) is debated. This study investigated if increasing lymph node harvest in esophageal cancer patients with a pCR after neoadjuvant therapy and esophagectomy is associated with improved survival. Methods We queried the National Cancer Data Base for patients with esophageal cancer between 2004 and 2014 who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation therapy followed by esophagectomy found to have pCR. Multivariable Cox modeling was utilized to evaluate the impact of increasing lymph node counts on overall survival (OS). Results A total of 1373 patients met inclusion criteria. A National Comprehensive Cancer Network compliant lymphadenectomy of ≥15 nodes was associated with improved survival (66.7% vs 51.1%; P < .001). Cox modeling showed that the first node cutoff to demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in OS was ≥7 nodes (hazard ratio [HR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.81, 0.68‐0.97; 5‐year OS: 54.2%) with a trend of decreasing and statistically significant HRs until ≥25 nodes (HR, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.37‐0.72; 5‐year OS: 68.4%). Conclusions High negative node counts after neoadjuvant therapy and esophagectomy are associated with improved survival in patients with pCR.