Clinicopathological factors affecting lymph node metastasis in patients with esophageal and gastroesophageal carcinomas

Background
Lymph node (LN) metastasis is a valid marker of prognosis in esophageal cancer. It is important to estimate the factor that affects LN metastasis to determine the prognosis and type of treatment.
Aim
The objective of this study was to investigate clinicopathologic predictors for LN metastasis in resectable esophageal cancer.
Patients and methods
A total of 41 patients with resectable esophageal cancer receiving primary curative resection without neoadjuvant therapy for esophageal cancer between 2010 and 2015 (12 adenocarcinoma, 29 squamous cell cancer) who had surgical resection with systematic lymphadenectomy were included. Specimens were assessed for the prevalence and pattern of lymphatic spread.
Result
The rate of LN metastasis per depth of invasion increased with T3 stage (46.15%). The percentage of LN metastasis increases with adenocarcinoma and with grade 3, which accounted for 58.3 and 75%, respectively. Tumors located at the lower esophagus tend to metastasize to LN, with prevalence of 55.5% for lower esophagus and 43.7% for gastroesophageal junction.
Conclusion
The depth of invasion, tumor differentiation, sex, pathological type, and tumor location help in predicting higher rates of LN metastasis.