Impact of number and location of metastatic lymph nodes on prognosis in patients after resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma / 中华肝胆外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To study the impact of number and location of metastatic lymph nodes on prognosis of patients after radical resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 105 patients who underwent radical resection and lymphadenectomy for ICC at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University from January 2010 to December 2020. There were 49 males and 56 females, with age of (58±10) years old. These patients were divided into 2 groups using the TNM staging (8th edition) into the N0 stage group ( n=62) and N1 stage group ( n=43). Using the NMLN staging, those with 0, 1-2, and >3 number of metastatic lymph nodes (NMLN) were divided into 3 groups the stage 0 group ( n=62), stage 1 group ( n=24), and stage 2 group ( n=19). Of the 43 patients with lymph node metastasis, they were divided into 2 groups according to whether the lymph node metastasis was limited to the first lymph node station the first station metastasis group ( n=11) and the non-first station metastasis group ( n=32). The general data, extent of lymph node dissection, pathological examinations, and postoperative survival outcomes of these patients were collected. Determination of risk factors for prognosis of ICC after radical resection was carried out. Results:The median number of lymph node harvested, or the detection of N0 and N1 staging were 6 (3, 8) and 6 (3, 10), respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups ( Z=-1.10, P>0.05). Overall survival of patients in the N0 stage group was better than the N1 stage group (32.0 vs. 9.0 months, χ 2=23.99, P<0.001). The median survival times of patients in the stage 0, stage 1 and stage 2 groups were 32.0, 14.0 and 6.0 months, respectively. There was a significant difference in overall survival among the 3 groups (χ 2=32.18, P<0.001). The time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves showed that NMLN staging had better prognostic predictive ability than the N staging. The median survival times of the first station metastasis group and the non-first station metastasis group were 18.0 and 7.0 months, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups (χ 2=2.21, P>0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that tumor carbohydrate antigen 125>35.0 U/ml ( HR=4.297, 95% CI2.418-7.634), hepatolithiasis ( HR=2.713, 95% CI1.499-4.911), T4 staging ( HR=2.934, 95% CI1.478-5.825), NMLN stage 1 ( HR=2.759, 95% CI1.500-5.077) and NMLN stage 2 ( HR=7.376, 95% CI3.553-15.312) were independent risk factors affecting prognosis of ICC after radical resection ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Lymph node metastasis was an important poor prognostic risk factor after radical resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The prognosis of ICC patients was related to the NMLN, but it was not related to the location of metastatic lymph nodes.