Contemporary lymphadenectomy templates: kidney, prostate and bladder cancer

Neglected lymph nodal metastases in patients with renal cancer: when to extend the anatomical template of lymph node dissection during nephrectomy

BACKGROUND

The role of lymph node dissection (LND) in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is still controversial. However, detecting lymph node invasion (LNI) is key due to prognostic implications and to identify patients who might benefit from adjuvant therapies such as adjuvant pembrolizumab.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Out of 796 patients, 261 (33%) received eLND, of whom 62 (8%) for suspicious lymph node (LN) metastases at preoperative staging (cN1). eLND was divided in 3 anatomical areas: (1) hilar, (2) side-specific (pre-/para-aortic or pre-/para-caval) and (3) inter-aorto-caval nodes. Overall maximum LN diameter was measured by a dedicated radiologist for each patient. Multivariable logistic regression models (MVA) were tested for the effect of maximum LN diameter in predicting the presence of nodal metastases outside the anatomical area of cN1.

RESULTS

LNI was confirmed in 50% of cN1, whilst only 13 out of 199 cN0 patients were pN1 at final histology (6.5%; p < 0.001). In a per-patient analysis, of 62 cN1 patients, 24% vs. 18% vs. 8% harboured pN1 disease only inside vs. in-outside vs. only outside the suspicious anatomical field of cN1 at preoperative CT/MRI scan. At MVA, increasing diameter of suspicious LNs was independently associated with risk of finding positive LNs outside the suspicious anatomical field (OR 1.05, 95%CI 1.02-1.11; p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Roughly 50% of cN1 patients undergoing eLND will harbour LN metastases, also outside the suspicious radiological area, and maximum LNs diameter at preoperative imaging correlates with such risk. Thus, an eLND might be justified in patients with large suspicious LN metastases, to better stage this patient population and to improve postoperative treatment management.

Lymphadenectomy for testicular, penile, upper tract urothelial and urethral cancers

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The lymph node dissection (LND) is an integral component of many oncologic surgeries. Better understanding of each cancer's behaviour and improvements in surgical techniques necessitate a critical analysis of lymph node disease and the optimal LND template. This review will focus on updates in managing lymph node disease in testicular, penile, upper tract urothelial and urethral cancer.

RECENT FINDINGS

For testicular and penile cancer, advances have focused on reducing the morbidity associated with the standard templates of dissection while maintaining oncologic efficacy. For upper tract urothelial carcinoma, data continue to be mixed regarding the need for a LND, though it does seem to benefit patients with advanced tumours. Little is known regarding the optimal LND template for urethral cancer.

SUMMARY

A thorough LND has an established diagnostic and therapeutic role in testicular and penile cancer. For upper tract urothelial carcinoma, the role of an LND remains controversial, though emerging evidence points to an association with improved outcomes. Due to the rarity of urethral cancer, there are no standard LND templates, though excising clinically positive nodes is recommended. For all these cancers, more sophisticated risk stratification based upon clinical and pathologic factors has helped determine which patients require an LND and how to best manage these patients after surgery.