Risk factors for lymph node metastasis and surgical scope in patients with cN0 non-small cell lung cancer: a single-center study in China.

BACKGROUND: It is difficult to determine the lymph node metastasis of patients with clinically negative lymph nodes (cN0) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) before surgery. The purpose of this study is to investigate risk factors of lymph node metastasis in cN0 NSCLC, thereby to identify the surgical indications for lymph node dissection in cN0 NSCLC. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with tumor size ≤ 30 mm who underwent radical resection of NSCLC. Binary logistic regression analysis was applied to predict risk factors for lymph node metastasis, and subject operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the independent risk factors. RESULTS: Overall, 44 patients (6.8%) with cN0 NSCLC had lymph node metastasis. Factors of tumor consolidation diameter (p < 0.001) and preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level (p = 0.017) are independent risk factors lymph node metastasis in cN0 NSCLC. The ROC curve showed that the cut-off value of consolidation diameter was 16.5 mm, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.825 (p < 0.001, 95% CI 0.780-0.870); the cut-off value of serum CEA level was 1.765 µg/L, and the AUC was 0.661 (p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.568-0.754). Moreover, 8 of 461 patients with tumor parenchyma ≤ 16.5 mm had lymph node metastasis, and 36 of 189 patients with tumor parenchyma > 16.5 mm had lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSION: Tumor consolidation diameter and preoperative serum CEA are independent factors to predict cN0 NSCLC with tumor size ≤ 30 mm. For patients with tumor parenchyma > 16.5 mm, the probability of lymph node metastasis is higher and lymph node dissection is recommended. For patients with tumor parenchyma ≤ 16.5 mm, the probability of lymph node metastasis is lower and lymph node sampling is feasible.

Retrospective study on evaluatoi n of video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy of mediastinal lymph nodes / 实用肿瘤学杂志

Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate whether video -assisted thoracoscopic surgi-cal( VATS) lobectomy is as effective as open thoracotomy lobectomy for complete dissection of the mediastinal lymph node(MLN).Methods Patients with clinical stage N0 lung cancer who underwent lobectomy between January 2008 and June 2013were retrospectively evaluated based on the LN station resected and lobectomy proce -dure used,and a resection ratio was calculated .Nodal stage and the proportion of patients ,from whom at least three MLNs and station 7were dissected and compared by lobectomy type .Results Of the 201 patients enrolled in the study,84 and 117 underwent VATS and open thoracotomy lobectomies ,respectively.The mean number of LNs dissected at station 3a was similar in the two groups (1.34 ±2.58 vs.1.52 ±1.78;P>0.05),but the re-section ratio differed(39%sv .63%;P 0.05).There were no differences in the number of LNs dissected or resection ratio between the two groups for stations 4 L,5 L6, L,7 L, and9 L for the left-sided approaches .Only station 8L showed significant differences between the VATS and open thoracotomy groups in the number of LNs dissected (0.12 ±0.44 vs.0.46 ±0.71;P0.05). The Kaplan-Meier 5-year survival was also similar between the two groups (log-rank test,P>0.05).Con-clusion VATS lobectomy is as effective as open thoracotomy lobectomy for the dissection of MLNs .Thus,VATS lobotomy resection will continue to be offered as the best choice for patients with clinical stage N0.