Risk Factors and Prognostic Impact of Mediastinal Lymph Node Metastases in Patients with Esophagogastric Junction Cancer

The development and validation of automated machine learning models for predicting lymph node metastasis in Siewert type II T1 adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction

Background

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is considered an essential prognosis factor for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG), which also affects the treatment strategies of AEG. We aimed to evaluate automated machine learning (AutoML) algorithms for predicting LNM in Siewert type II T1 AEG.

Methods

A total of 878 patients with Siewert type II T1 AEG were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to develop the LNM predictive models. The patients from two hospitals in Suzhou were collected as the test set. We applied five machine learning algorithms to develop the LNM prediction models. The performance of predictive models was assessed using various metrics including accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, the area under the curve (AUC), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

Patients with LNM exhibited a higher proportion of male individuals, a poor degree of differentiation, and submucosal infiltration, with statistical differences. The deep learning (DL) model demonstrated relatively good accuracy (0.713) and sensitivity (0.868) among the five models. Moreover, the DL model achieved the highest AUC (0.781) and sensitivity (1.000) in the test set.

Conclusion

The DL model showed good predictive performance among five AutoML models, indicating the advantage of AutoML in modeling LNM prediction in patients with Siewert type II T1 AEG.

Lymph node metastases in middle and upper mediastinum of Siewert type II adenocarcinoma: A real-world retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

To explore whether the upper and/or middle mediastinal nodes (UMMN) should be dissected in Siewert type II adenocarcinoma (AC) according to the incidence of lymph node metastasis. Additionally, to investigate the association between the length of esophageal involvement (LEI) and the UMMN metastases.

METHODS

A cohort with Siewert type II AC who were operated on by a surgical team that routinely treated esophagogastric junction (EGJ) tumors with esophagectomy and extended lymphadenectomy were assessed retrospectively. The primary endpoint of the research was the metastasis rate of UMMN.

RESULTS

A total of 94 patients with EGJ tumor from July 2018 to September 2022 were enrolled. Station 106recR (6.4%, 6/94) was the only station among upper mediastinal nodes (UMN) that presented positive nodes. Middle mediastinal nodes (MMN) metastases of station 107, 109 and station 108 were 2.1% (2/94) and 5.0% (4/80), respectively. Among the 11 patients with MMN or UMN metastases, 63.6% (7/11) had lesser than seven metastatic nodes, and 54.5% (6/11) had a pathological N stage ≤2. LEI >3 cm (p = 0.042) showed a higher risk for MMN metastases in univariable logistic analysis. However, no independent risk factor for mediastinal node metastases was detected.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that the incidence of positive MMN and UMN is relatively low in resectable Siewert type II AC, which indicated that it is not necessary to perform a routine dissection upon these stations. LEI >3 cm might be associated with higher risk for mediastinal node metastasis. Certain patients could benefit from extended lymphadenectomy since most of the patients with positive MMN or UMN have a limited number of metastatic nodes.

Methods in regression analysis in surgical oncology research-best practice guidelines

BACKGROUND

Using real working examples, we provide strategies and address challenges in linear and logistic regression to demonstrate best practice guidelines and pitfalls of regression modeling in surgical oncology research.

METHODS

To demonstrate our best practices, we reviewed patients who underwent tissue expander breast reconstruction between 2019 and 2021. We assessed predictive factors that affect BREAST-Q Physical Well-Being of the Chest (PWB-C) scores at 2 weeks with linear regression modeling and overall complications and malrotation with logistic regression modeling. Model fit and performance were assessed.

RESULTS

The 1986 patients were included in the analysis. In linear regression, age [β = 0.18 (95% CI: 0.09, 0.28); p < 0.001], single marital status [β = 2.6 (0.31, 5.0); p = 0.026], and prepectoral pocket dissection [β = 4.6 (2.7, 6.5); p < 0.001] were significantly associated with PWB-C at 2 weeks. For logistic regression, BMI [OR = 1.06 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.08); p < 0.001], age [OR = 1.02 (1.01, 1.03); p = 0.002], bilateral reconstruction [OR = 1.39 (1.09, 1.79); p = 0.009], and prepectoral dissection [OR = 1.53 (1.21, 1.94); p < 0.001] were associated with increased likelihood of a complication.

CONCLUSION

We provide focused directives for successful application of regression techniques in surgical oncology research. We encourage researchers to select variables with clinical judgment, confirm appropriate model fitting, and consider clinical plausibility for interpretation when utilizing regression models in their research.

Patterns of the lymph node metastasis and the influencing factors in esophagogastric junction cancers

OBJECTIVE

A retrospective analysis of 214 cases of esophagogastric junction cancers (EGJCs) in Kunming, Yunnan Province, was conducted to investigate the lymph node metastasis (LNM) pattern for EGJCs and its associated risk factors (RFs), as well as the predictive value of common clinical metabolic indicators for it.

METHODS

The clinical data of 214 patients diagnosed with EGJCs by electronic gastroscope and postoperative pathology between 2013 and 2021 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University were retrospectively examined. Preoperative gastroscopy, imaging, biochemical data, and postoperative pathological findings analysis in EGJCs were statistically analyzed to determine the RFs of LNM.

RESULTS

At presentation, 92.5% of EGJCs were progressive malignancies, including 68.2% LNMs, 79.5% abdominal lymph nodes (ALN), 20.1% mediastinal lymph nodes (MLN), and 27.1% distal metastases. The ratio of Siewert subtypes was approximately 2:11:7 (type I to type II to type III). In terms of age, disease duration at initial presentation, history, tumor length, pathological biopsy histology, degree of differentiation, depth of infiltration, LNM status, MLN metastasis, and surgical route, the differences between the three Siewert subgroups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Multifactor analysis revealed that the proportion of patients aged <65 at the time of consultation was significantly more significant in Siewert II and Siewert III than in Siewert I. Significantly more patients than in Siewert I had <2 months of disease duration at the time of their first consultation. The proportion of patients with tumors <3 Cm in length was significantly higher than in Siewert I. For the RFs analysis of LNM, Siewert staging (type I and type II), depth of infiltration, and distant metastasis were the independent RFs for LNM. The depth of infiltration and family history of the tumor were the independent RFs for ALN metastasis, and the number of lymph nodes cleared in the abdominal and mediastinal regions was a protective factor for ALN metastasis. Siewert staging(type I and type II), infiltration depth, invasion of the esophagus by the tumor, tumor length, and distant metastasis were independent risk factors for MLN metastasis. Among the metabolic variables evaluated, BMI was an independent RF for LNM, fasting glucose was an independent RF for ALN metastasis, and triacylglycerol was a protective factor for MLN metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

EGJCs are frequently advanced at presentation, characterized by minimal differentiation and a high incidence of LNM. The Siewert subtype is concentrated near the stomach. Different Siewert subtypes exhibit distinct clinicopathological characteristics. LNM and MLN metastasis risk are considerably higher in type I tumors compared to types II and III. There is a strong correlation between LNM and MLN metastasis and distant metastasis in EGJCs, so Siewert I is more aggressive and associated with a worse prognosis. EGJCs have numerous RFs associated with LNM, and there are similarities and differences in the RFs affecting their LNM, ALN metastases, and MLN metastases, which are related to their unique anatomical features. There is a close relationship between metabolic factors and EGJCs with some predictive value.

Role of radiomics in predicting lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer: a systematic review

Introduction

Gastric cancer (GC) is an aggressive and clinically heterogeneous tumor, and better risk stratification of lymph node metastasis (LNM) could lead to personalized treatments. The role of radiomics in the prediction of nodal involvement in GC has not yet been systematically assessed. This study aims to assess the role of radiomics in the prediction of LNM in GC.

Methods

A PubMed/MEDLINE systematic review was conducted to assess the role of radiomics in LNM. The inclusion criteria were as follows: i. original articles, ii. articles on radiomics, and iii. articles on LNM prediction in GC. All articles were selected and analyzed by a multidisciplinary board of two radiation oncologists and one surgeon, under the supervision of one radiation oncologist, one surgeon, and one medical oncologist.

Results

A total of 171 studies were obtained using the search strategy mentioned on PubMed. After the complete selection process, a total of 20 papers were considered eligible for the analysis of the results. Radiomics methods were applied in GC to assess the LNM risk. The number of patients, imaging modalities, type of predictive models, number of radiomics features, TRIPOD classification, and performances of the models were reported.

Conclusions

Radiomics seems to be a promising approach for evaluating the risk of LNM in GC. Further and larger studies are required to evaluate the clinical impact of the inclusion of radiomics in a comprehensive decision support system (DSS) for GC.

Role of Lower Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Margin Location on Abdominal Lymph Node Metastasis Risk

Background: Different sites of esophageal cancer are accompanied by different regional lymph node metastasis (LNM) risks. We aimed to investigate the impact of a lower tumor margin on abdominal LNM risk. Methods: We enrolled patients who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal squamous carcinoma (ESCC) from 2014 to 2017 in West China Hospital. Overall survival (OS) analysis was performed. We measured the distance between the lower tumor margin and esophagogastric junction (LED) with upper gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced X-ray (UGCXR). Multivariate logistic regression analysis and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to explore the relationship between LED and the risk of abdominal LNM. Abdominal LNM risk in ESCC was stratified based on the location of the lower tumor margin. A model predicting abdominal LNM risk was constructed and presented with a nomogram. Results: The included patients had an abdominal LNM rate of 48.29%. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, LED was identified as a risk factor for abdominal LNM. Subgroup analysis of middle ESCC showed that patients with an LED less than 10 cm had a significantly higher rate of abdominal LNM than those with an LED greater than 10 cm. The abdominal LNM rate in middle ESCC patients with an LED less than 10 cm was 32.2%, while it was 35.1% in lower ESCC patients whose lower tumor margin did not invade the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), which was comparable after PSM. Conclusions: LED could help surgeons evaluate the risk of abdominal LNM preoperatively and better guide dissection of abdominal lymph nodes according to risk level.

Mapping of lymph node dissection determined by the epicenter location and tumor extension for esophagogastric junction carcinoma

Backgrounds

Previous studies identified the extent of lymph node dissection for esophagogastric junction (EGJ) carcinoma based on the metastatic incidence. The study aimed to determine the optimal extent and priority of lymphadenectomy based on the therapeutic efficacy from each station.

Methods

The studies on the lymph node metastasis (LNM) and therapeutic efficacy index (EI) for EGJ carcinomas were identified until April 2022. The obligatory stations with the LNM rates over 5% and therapeutic EI exceeding 2% should be routinely resected for D2 dissection, whereas the optional stations with EI between 0.5% and 2% should be resected for D3 dissection in selective cases.

Results

The survey yielded 16 eligible articles including 6,350 patients with EGJ carcinoma. The metastatic rates exceeded 5% at no. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 11p, and 110 stations and were less than 5% in abdominal no. 4sa~6, 8a, 10, 11d, 12a, and 16a2/b1 and mediastinal no. 105~112 stations. Consequently, obligatory stations with EI over 2% were largely determined by the epicenter location and located at the upper perigastric, lower mediastinal, and suprapancreatic zones, corresponding to those with rates of LNM over 5%. Consistent with the LNM rates less than 5%, the optional stations with EI between 0.5% and 2% were largely dependent on the degree of tumor extension toward the lower perigastric, splenic hilar (grecurvature), para-aortic (less curvature of the cardia), and middle or upper mediastinal zones.

Conclusions

The obligatory stations can be resected as an “envelope-like” wrap by transhiatal proximal gastrectomy with lower esophagectomy, whereas the optional stations for dissection are indicated by the tumor extension. The extended gastrectomy is required for the lower perigastric in the stomach-predominant tumor with gastric involvement exceeding 5.0 cm, para-aortic dissection in the less curvature-predominant tumor and splenic hilar dissection in the grecurvature-predominant tumor whereas transthoracic subtotal esophagectomy is required for complete mediastinal dissection and adequate negative margin in the esophagus-predominant tumor with esophageal invasion exceeding 3.0 cm.

Association of anastomotic leakage with long-term oncologic outcomes of patients with esophagogastric junction cancer

BACKGROUND

Despite improvements in surgical procedures and peri-operative patients management, the postoperative complications in esophagogastric junction (EGJ) cancer remain high because of technical aspects. Several studies have indicated the negative influence of postoperative infectious complications on long-term survival after gastrointestinal surgery. However, no study has shown the association between postoperative complications and long-term survival of patients with EGJ cancer.

AIM

To elucidate influence of postoperative complications on the long-term outcomes of patients with EGJ cancer.

METHODS

A total of 122 patients who underwent surgery for EGJ cancer at the Keio University were included in this study. We examined the association between complications and long-term oncologic outcomes.

RESULTS

In all patients, the 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was 71.9%, and the recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate was 67.5%. Compared with patients without anastomotic leakage, those with anastomotic leakage had poor median OS (8 mo vs not reached, P = 0.028) and median RFS (5 mo vs not reached, P = 0.055). Among patients with cervical anastomosis, there were not significant differences between patients with and without anastomotic leakage. However, among patients who underwent intrathoracic anastomosis, patients with anastomotic leakage had significantly worse OS (P = 0.002) and RFS (P = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Anastomotic leakage was significantly associated with long-term oncologic outcomes of patients with EGJ cancer, especially those who underwent intrathoracic anastomosis. Cervical anastomosis with subtotal esophagectomy may be an option for the patients who are at high risk for anastomotic leakage.

Accuracy of Preoperative Endoscopy in Determining Tumor Location Required for Surgical Planning for Esophagogastric Junction Cancer

PURPOSE

The surgical strategy for esophagogastric junction (EGJ) cancer depends on the tumor location as measured relative to the EGJ line. The purpose of this study was to clarify the accuracy of diagnostic endoscopy in different clinicopathological backgrounds.

METHODS

Subjects were 74 consecutive patients with abdominal esophagus to upper gastric cancer who underwent surgical resection. Image-enhanced endoscopy with narrow-band imaging (NBI) was used to determine the EGJ line, prioritizing the presence of palisade vessels, followed by the upper end of gastric folds, as a landmark. The relative positional relationship between the tumor epicenter and the EGJ line was classified into six categories, and the agreement between endoscopic and pathologic diagnoses was examined to evaluate prediction accuracy.

RESULTS

The concordance rate of 69 eligible cases was 87% with a kappa coefficient (K) of 0.81. The palisade vessels were observed in 62/69 patients (89.9%). Of the 37 pathological EGJ cancers centered within 2 cm above and below the EGJ line, Barrett's esophagus was found to be a significant risk factor for discordance (risk ratio, 4.40; p = 0.042); the concordance rate of 60% (K = 0.50) in the Barrett's esophagus group was lower than the rate of 91% (K = 0.84) in the non-Barrett's esophagus group. In five of six discordant cases, the EGJ line was estimated to be proximal to the actual line.

CONCLUSION

Diagnostic endoscopy is beneficial for estimating the location of EGJ cancer, with a risk of underestimating esophageal invasion length in patients with Barrett's esophagus.

Can we predict mediastinal lymph nodes metastasis in esophagogastric junction cancer? Results of a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to define clinical indicator that predicts mediastinal lymph nodes metastasis (MLNM) in patients with Esophagogastric junction cancer (EGJC) to select patient population requiring esophagectomy.

METHODS

A systematic and electronic search of several electronic databases was performed up to August 2020. Studies containing information on risk factors for MLNM in patients diagnosed with EJGC and who underwent curative surgery were included.

RESULTS

Two predictors, including undifferentiated type (OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.07-3.10, p = 0.03) and esophageal invasion length (EIL) (OR = 10.95, 95% CI = 6.37-18.82, p < 0.00001) were identified as significant predictors for the risk of MLNM.

CONCLUSION

Knowledge of the associations of these clinicopathological features with MLNM can be useful in determining operative strategy for EGJC.