Risk Factors and Patterns of Abdominal Lymph Node Recurrence After Radical Surgery for Locally Advanced Thoracic Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer

Risk factors for postoperative recurrence of pT2-3N0M0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and patterns of its recurrence

This study aimed to explore the patterns of postoperative recurrence in patients with pT2-3N0M0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and to identify the risk factors for the recurrence. Patients with pT2-3N0M0 ESCC who were treated at our hospital from January 2010 to August 2019 were divided into three categories: those with anastomotic recurrence, those with lymph node recurrence, and those with hematogenous metastasis. The sites of initial recurrence and metastasis were counted and potential risk factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression. Four hundred and eighty-five patients with pT2-3N0M0 ESCC were ultimately included, 176 (36.29%) of whom experienced tumor recurrence or metastasis. Cox multivariate analysis revealed that the postoperative T-stage, procedure, tumor location, and degree of differentiation were independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence (P < 0.05). The median time of recurrence was 38 months, and the most common site of recurrence was the lymph nodes in 126 patients (71.59%), followed by hematogenous metastasis in 73 patients (41.47%), and anastomotic recurrence in 21 patients (11.93%). 119 patients (67.61%) experienced recurrence within 36 months, with a probability of recurrence of 84.09% within 5 years, and recurrence remained relatively unchanged after 5 years. The proportion of postoperative lymph node recurrence and hematogenous metastasis in patients with pT3N0M0 ESCC was significantly higher than that in patients with pT2N0M0 ESCC (P < 0.05). At higher tumor locations in the body, the proportion of lymph node recurrence increased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, postoperative T-stage, procedure, tumor location, and degree of differentiation were independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence in pT2-3N0M0 ESCC, with regional lymph node recurrence being the most common pattern, emphasizing the importance of regional lymph nodes in this context.

Construction of a predictive model of abdominal lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and preliminary analysis of its effect on target for postoperative radiotherapy

Purpose

To investigate the influencing factors of abdominal lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC), and to construct its predictive model, in order to analyze the targets for postoperative radiotherapy.

Methods and materials

From January 2008 to December 2014, the clinicopathological data of 479 patients who underwent radical resection for esophageal cancer in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The influencing factors of postoperative abdominal lymph node metastasis were analyzed, and a predictive model was constructed based on their independent influencing factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was utilized to analyze the predictive value of this model; in the meantime, the postoperative locoregional recurrence (LRR) of this group was analyzed.

Results

The postoperative pathology of all patients showed that the lymph node metastasis rate (LNR) was 39.7%, of which the abdominal lymph node metastasis rate was 22.0%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the patient's lesion location, pN stage, vascular invasion, LND and mediastinal lymph node metastasis were independent risk factors for the positive rate of abdominal lymph nodes after surgery (P = 0.000, 0.000, 0.033, 0.000, 0.000). The probability of abdominal lymph node metastasis was Y = ex/(1 + ex), and X = −5.502 + 1.569 × lesion location + 4.269 × pN stage + 1.890 × vascular invasion + 1.950 × LND-4.248 × mediastinal lymph node metastasis. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of this model in predicting abdominal lymph node metastasis was 0.962 (95% CI, 0.946–0.977). This mathematical model had a high predictive value for the occurrence of abdominal lymph node metastasis (P = 0.000), and the sensitivity and specificity of prediction were 94.6% and 88.3% respectively. The overall survival rate was significantly higher (X2 = 29.178, P = 0.000), while abdominal lymph node recurrence rate was lower in patients with negative abdominal lymph nodes than in those with negative lymph nodes (1.4%&amp;7.7%, X2 = 12.254, P = 0.000).

Conclusion

The lesion location, pN stage, vascular invasion, LND and mediastinal lymph node metastasis are independent influencing factors of abdominal lymph node metastasis in patients with TESCC. The mathematical model constructed by these indicators can accurately predict abdominal lymph node metastasis, which can help clinicians to choose the targets for postoperative radiotherapy.

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T Cell Immunotherapy Against Thoracic Malignancies: Challenges and Opportunities

Different from surgery, chemical therapy, radio-therapy and target therapy, Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T (CAR-T) cells, a novel adoptive immunotherapy strategy, have been used successfully against both hematological tumors and solid tumors. Although several problems have reduced engineered CAR-T cell therapeutic outcomes in clinical trials for the treatment of thoracic malignancies, including the lack of specific antigens, an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, a low level of CAR-T cell infiltration into tumor tissues, off-target toxicity, and other safety issues, CAR-T cell treatment is still full of bright future. In this review, we outline the basic structure and characteristics of CAR-T cells among different period, summarize the common tumor-associated antigens in clinical trials of CAR-T cell therapy for thoracic malignancies, and point out the current challenges and new strategies, aiming to provide new ideas and approaches for preclinical experiments and clinical trials of CAR-T cell therapy for thoracic malignancies.

Mapping of Cervical and Upper Mediastinal Lymph Node Recurrence for Guiding Clinical Target Delineation of Postoperative Radiotherapy in Thoracic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background

The lower neck and upper mediastinum are the major regions for postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC). However, there is no uniform standard regarding the delineation of nodal clinical target volume (CTVnd). This study aimed to map the recurrent lymph nodes in the cervical and upper mediastinal regions and explore a reasonable CTVnd for PORT in TESCC.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients in our hospital with first cervical and/or upper mediastinal lymph node recurrence (LNR) after upfront esophagectomy. All of these recurrent lymph nodes were plotted on template computed tomography (CT) images with reference to surrounding structures. The recurrence frequency at different stations was investigated and the anatomic distribution of recurrent lymph nodes was analyzed.

Results

A total of 119 patients with 215 recurrent lymph nodes were identified. There were 47 (39.5%) patients with cervical LNR and 102 (85.7%) patients with upper mediastinal LNR. The high-risk regions were station 101L/R, station 104L/R, station 106recL/R, station 105 and station 106pre for upper TESCC and station 104L/R, station 106recL/R, station 105, station 106pre and station 106tbL for middle and lower TESCCs. LNR in the external group of station 104L/R was not common, and LNR was not found in the narrow spaces where the trachea was in close contact with the innominate artery, aortic arch and mediastinal pleura. LNR below the level of the cephalic margin of the superior vena cava was also not common for upper TESCC.

Conclusions

The CTVnd of PORT in the cervical and upper mediastinal regions should cover station 101L/R, station 104L/R, station 106recL/R, station 105 and station 106pre for upper TESCC and station 104L/R, station 106recL/R, station 105, station 106pre and station 106tbL for middle and lower TESCCs. Based on our results, we proposed a useful atlas for guiding the delineation of CTVnd in TESCC.

Postoperative Radiotherapy for Thoracic Esophageal Carcinoma with Upfront R0 Esophagectomy

Multidisciplinary therapies can improve the survival of patients with locally advanced esophageal carcinoma. However, the determination of the optimal modality is still a controversial subject. Many randomized controlled trials in the late 20th century showed that there was no survival benefit when postoperative radiotherapy was added to surgery for esophageal carcinoma. As a result, the treatment modality shifted thereafter to neoadjuvant therapies. Even so, these trials are criticized for many limitations and an increasing number of studies (mainly nonrandomized controlled trials) has indicated that postoperative radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy can improve the survival of patients with a poor prognosis after R0 esophagectomy. Additionally, a large number of patients with locally advanced esophageal carcinoma still choose upfront surgery in the clinical practice due to many reasons. Therefore, postoperative radiotherapy seems to be a feasible treatment for these patients with a poor prognosis, particularly in the new era of conformal radiotherapy. Here, we review published studies on postoperative radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy, and we discuss the clinical issues related to postoperative radiotherapy, such as the indication, target volume, total radiation dosage, time interval and complications of postoperative radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy, to make recommendations of postoperative radiotherapy for both current practice and future research in esophageal carcinoma.