Breast Cancer: Primary Tumor Characteristics Related to Lymph Node Involvement

1981 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Rasponi ◽  
Alberto Costa ◽  
Rosaria Bufalino ◽  
Alberto Morabito ◽  
Maurizio Nava ◽  
...  

From November 1st 1977 to August 31st 1978, 842 consecutive patients with operable breast cancer were observed at the National Cancer Institute of Milan. Characteristics of the primary tumor and the status of regional lymph nodes were evaluated at clinical and postsurgical examination: it was found that qualitative characteristics of the primary were properly defined by clinicians, who usually overestimated maximum diameter of the primary. The status of regional lymph nodes is not reliable at clinical examination: 34.5 % of clinically uninvolved nodes were found to contain metastatic growth at histologic examination. Age of patients, maximum diameter of the primary, histologic type and quadrant of origin of the primary tumor were significantly related to the frequency of regional node metastases. Multifactorial analysis showed that the last three factors were independent variables, while age, which is significant by itself, loses importance when adjusted by at least one of the other three factors. Frequency of extension of node metastases beyond the lymph node capsule was found to be related to the number of involved nodes: maximum diameter, histologic type and site of origin are significantly related to the frequency of extracapsular invasion. This study confirms that the evaluation of the status of regional lymph nodes is not reliable at clinical examination and indicates that characteristics of the primary may be useful in predicting regional lymph node involvement. The direct correlation between the number of involved nodes and the frequency of infiltration beyond the capsule suggests that prognosis of patients with positive nodes depends more on this factor than on the number of involved nodes.

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (18_suppl) ◽  
pp. 13575-13575 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hetnal ◽  
K. Malecki ◽  
S. Korzeniowski ◽  
T. Zemelka

13575 Background: The aim of this paper is an assessment of results of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with rectal cancer with respect to prognostic factors, causes of treatment failures and treatment tolerance. Methods: 178 pts with Dukes’ stage B or C rectal cancer received postoperative chemoradiotherapy between 1993 and 2002. Median age was 62; 110 patients were males, 68 were females. Median follow-up time was 45 months. Main endpoints of the analysis were locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS), distant relapse free survival (DRFS), disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rates. Univariate and multivariate analyses of prognostic factors were performed using log rank and Cox’s proportional hazard method. Results: The 5-year LRRFS was 73%, DRFS was 80%, DFS was 61% and OS was 65%. Lymph node involvement and method of resection (AR favoured) were the only independent prognostic factors for LRRFS. Lymph node involvement, in particular when four or more are involved, was independent prognostic factors for DFS. For DRFS are histological grade, lymph node involvement and extracapsular extension of the lymph node metastases. For OS, the independent prognostic factors were infiltration of the pararectal fatty tissue, lymph node involvement in particular when four or more are involved, total number of chemotherapy cycles (at least six favoured). The 5-year LRRFS was 73%, DRFS was 80%, DFS was 61% and OS was 65%. Radiation therapy was well tolerated in 45% of patients. Most common early reactions were diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting and leucopoenia. Conclusions: Involvement of lymph nodes and method of resection were the only independent prognostic factors for LRRFS. Prognostic factors for OS were infiltration of the pararectal fatty tissue, lymph node metastases, four or more involved lymph nodes, total number of chemotherapy cycles. No significant financial relationships to disclose.


2007 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 497-505
Author(s):  
C. H. M. van Deurzen ◽  
R. van Hillegersberg ◽  
M. G. G. Hobbelink ◽  
C. A. Seldenrijk ◽  
R. Koelemij ◽  
...  

Background: The need for routine axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with invasive breast cancer and low-volume sentinel node (SN) involvement is questionable. Accurate prediction of second echelon lymph node involvement could identify those patients most likely to benefit from ALND.Methods: A consecutive series of 317 patients with invasive breast cancer and a tumor positive axillary SN followed by ALND was reviewed. Clinicopathologic features of the primary tumor and the SN were assessed as possible predictors of second echelon lymph node involvement.Results: Second echelon metastases were found in 116/317 cases (36.6%). Frequency of second echelon lymph node involvement in patients with isolated tumor cells (ITC, N = 23), micro- (N = 101) and macrometastases (N = 193) was 13%, 20% and 48%, respectively (p < 0.001). Based on the area % of SN occupied by tumor no subgroup of patients could be selected with less than 20% second echelon lymph node involvement. However, none of the patients with SN ITC or micrometastases and a primary tumor size ≤1 cm (N = 12, 3.8%) had second echelon lymph node involvement.Conclusions: Accurately measured SN tumor load predicts second echelon lymph node involvement. However, even in patients with ITC, the second echelon lymph nodes are involved in 13% justifying ALND.


1986 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 259-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvatore Toma ◽  
Stefano Bonassi ◽  
Riccardo Puntoni ◽  
Guido Nicolò

This study considers the correlations between some characteristics of the primary tumor and level of lymph node involvement in 185 primary breast cancers. The average number of lymph nodes was higher in N + women than in N— women. Primary tumors with a diameter of more than 4 cm yielded the highest mean number of lymph nodes (17.5). The risk of developing lymph node metastases was fourfold in tumors with a diameter greater than 2 cm when compared to those with a diameter less than or equal to 2 cm. The most commonly metastasized lymph node level, in both large and small tumors, was the first; however, one-fifth of the patients had simultaneous lymph node metastasis in all three axillary levels. Although the left breast was the most affected (58.9 %), there was no evidence of a different risk of metastasis between the two breasts; 34.1 % of the tumors were multifocal. Lymph node involvement was higher in women under 50 years of age with a primary tumor larger than 2 cm.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 7-14
Author(s):  
Marilena Stoian ◽  
Lucia Indrei ◽  
Victor Stoica

Abstract Background/Aims. The aim of this study was to establish whether, and to what extent, preand intraoperatively detected characteristics (demographic, anamnestic and laboratory data) and tumor characteristics can be used in the assessment of regional lymph node involvement in patients with colorectal carcinoma. The assessment also included the number of lymph nodes involved in patients with positive lymph nodes. Considering that the number of obtained lymph nodes is resected specimens, assessment parameters also included the percentage of the involved lymph nodes within the total population of lymph nodes. Methodology. From 2010-2019, 46 patients with carcinoma of the rectum and sigmoid colon were studied, with a total number of 736 lymph nodes evaluated. Out of the total number of lymph nodes, 577 (78.4%) were benign and 159 (21.6%), malignant. Data were analyzed by multi-variant statistical methods: discriminant analysis and multiple regression. Results. For this patient group, we evaluated the following potentially predictive factors for lymph node involvement: age; serum hemoglobin, albumin and alkaline phosphatase levels; weight loss; and the primary tumor localization characteristics: histological type, macroscopic growth pattern and depth of tumor invasion of the bowel wall. We found that there was no difference in the prediction of regional lymph node involvement between analysis of the aforementioned parameters and analysis of the isolated discriminators only. Conclusion. A predictability likelihood of 83.78% greatly surpasses the acceptable error tolerance level of 5%. Correlation of demographic, anamnestic and laboratory data about the patient and the characteristics of the primary tumor cannot be used in distinguishing malignant lymph nodes from benign ones. These data cannot be the basis for exact intraoperative staging and thus cannot be significant criteria foe decision-making about operative treatment modalities.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shilajit D. Kundu ◽  
Scott E. Eggener

The incidence of transitional cell carcinoma of the kidney and ureter is low and for that reason limited data exists regarding the appropriate management of regional retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Lymph node metastases have consistently been associated with an adverse prognosis. However, five-year cancer-specific survival following nephroureterectomy and lymphadenectomy for patients with lymph node involvement ranges from 0–39%, suggesting a therapeutic benefit. This review covers the primary tumor characteristics associated with lymph node involvement, imaging of the lymph nodes, as well as the rationale, role, patient selection, suggested anatomic templates, and technical considerations for lymphadenectomy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 40-40
Author(s):  
Lieven Depypere ◽  
Gert De Hertogh ◽  
Johnny Moons ◽  
An-Lies Provoost ◽  
Toni Lerut ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Response of the primary tumor and lymph node involvement are the most important prognosticators in resected patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma after neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Response on the primary tumor is well established using T(umor) R(egression) G(rading). However, little is known about the prognostic value of lymph node response in these patients. Methods Hematoxylin-eosin slides of 193 adenocarcinoma patients with clinical suspicion of lymph node involvement (cN+) and treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy between 2008 and 2015 were all reassessed by a senior pathologist. Lymph node response (LNR) was defined as a combination of central fibrosis and at least one other characteristic such as hemosiderin pigment, acellular mucin pools, foam cells, giant cells or calcifications. Lymph nodes were categorized in four categories: 1° as positive (ypN+) when viable tumor was found according to TNM 8th edition. 2° as negative (ypN0) in absence of any viable tumor. 3° as lymph nodes with signs of LNR (LNR+). 4° as lymph nodes without signs of LNR (LNR-). All patients were grouped according to lymph node positivity and lymph node regression. Multivariate and survival analysis were performed by Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Results Thirty-four patients were ypN + /LNR + , 60 were ypN + /LNR-, 41 were ypN0/LNR + and 58 were ypN0/LNR-. Median overall survival was respectively 41.0 months, 18.5 months, 31.2 months and 62.9 months. Survival was significantly different between ypN0 groups (P = 0.045) but not between ypN + groups (P = 0.299). Multivariate analysis showed that LNR was an independent prognosticator (P = 0.011). Conclusion In cN + esophageal adenocarcinoma patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation with final pathology being ypN0 after esophagectomy, median overall survival is doubled when no signs of LNR were found suggesting these patients were in fact true N0 and that ypN0/LNR + have a similar prognosis as ypN + /LNR + . Using these four categories of ypN allows for more precise evaluation of the impact of induction therapy. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.


2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (13) ◽  
pp. 2106-2111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Leibold ◽  
Jinru Shia ◽  
Leyo Ruo ◽  
Bruce D. Minsky ◽  
Timothy Akhurst ◽  
...  

Purpose After preoperative chemoradiotherapy of rectal cancer, the number of retrievable and metastatic lymph nodes is decreased. The current TNM classification is based on number and not location of lymph node metastases and may understage disease after chemoradiotherapy. The aim of this study was to examine the prognostic significance of location of involved lymph nodes in rectal cancer patients after preoperative chemoradiotherapy. Patients and Methods We prospectively examined whole-mount specimens from 121 patients with uT3-4 and/or N+ rectal cancer who received preoperative chemoradiotherapy followed by resection. Location of involved lymph nodes was compared with median number of lymph nodes involved as well as presence of distant metastasis at presentation. Results Lymph node metastases were detected in 37 patients (31%). Thirteen patients with lymph node involvement along major supplying vessels (proximal lymph node metastases) had a significantly higher rate of distant metastatic disease at time of surgery than patients without proximal lymph node involvement (P < .001); median number of lymph nodes involved was two for patients with proximal lymph node metastases and 1.5 for patients with mesorectal lymph node involvement alone. Conclusion Our data suggest that, after preoperative chemoradiotherapy, proximal lymph node involvement is associated with a high incidence of metastatic disease at time of surgery. Because the median number of involved lymph nodes is low after preoperative chemoradiotherapy, the TNM staging system may not provide an accurate assessment of metastatic disease. Therefore, the ypTNM staging system should incorporate distribution as well as number of lymph node metastases after preoperative chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer.


2006 ◽  
Vol 88 (7) ◽  
pp. 632-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Mahir Ozmen ◽  
Baris Zulfikaroglu ◽  
N Ozlem Kucuk ◽  
Necdet Ozalp ◽  
Gulseren Aras ◽  
...  

INTRODUCTION Involvement of regional lymph node is a critical sign in prognosis of gastric cancer. Radiological techniques are commonly used to evaluate the extension of gastric cancer. But their sensitivity and specificity are low especially in the early stage. Our aim was to assess the value of gastric lymphoscintigraphy in identifying regional lymph node involvement in patients with gastric cancer, as compared to the abdominal ultrasonography, computed tomography and postoperative histopathological evaluation. PATIENTS AND METHODS 50 patients (12 females) with a median age of 61 years (range, 35–73 years) were included in the study. Pre-operative staging in all cases included upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and biopsy, followed by ultrasound, computed tomography and lymphoscintigraphy. 148 MBq Technetium-99m lymphoscint was injected around the tumour during endoscopy and immediately after injection, anterior, lateral and posterior images were taken in 5-min intervals using a gamma camera. Findings were compared to the findings of other tests. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of each test were calculated and compared. RESULTS Histologically, 68% of cases (34/50) had metastasis in regional lymph nodes and all cases were accurately diagnosed by lymphoscintigraphy. Lymphoscintigraphy was significantly more sensitive for detecting lymph node involvement (P < 0.01). Both abdominal ultrasonography and CT had very low sensitivity in identifying lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS Lymphoscintigraphy is a promising test in the identification of regional lymph nodes pre-operatively in patients with gastric cancer. It might help the surgeon to plan the extent of dissection before surgery which may decrease postoperative complications related to unnecessary extensive lymph node dissection.


Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 924 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Heublein ◽  
Heiko Schulz ◽  
Frederik Marmé ◽  
Martin Angele ◽  
Bastian Czogalla ◽  
...  

Ovarian cancer (OC) spread to retro-peritoneal lymph nodes is detected in about one out of two patients at primary diagnosis. Whether the histologic pattern of lymph node involvement i.e., intra-(ICG) or extracapsular (ECG) cancer growth may affect patients’ prognosis remains unknown. The aim of the current study was to analyze the prevalence of ECG and ICG in lymph node positive ovarian cancer. We further investigated whether ECG may be related to patients’ prognosis and whether biomarkers expressed in the primary tumor may predict the pattern of lymph node involvement. Lymph node samples stemming from 143 OC patients were examined for presence of ECG. Capsular extravasation was tested for statistical association with clinico-pathological variables. We further tested 27 biomarkers that had been determined in primary tumor tissue for their potential to predict ECG in metastatic lymph nodes. ECG was detected in 35 (24.5%) of 143 lymph node positive patients. High grade (p = 0.043), histologic subtype (p = 0.006) and high lymph node ratio (LNR) (p < 0.001) were positively correlated with presence of ECG. Both ECG (p = 0.024) and high LNR (p = 0.008) were predictive for shortened overall survival. A four-protein signature determined from the primary tumor tissue was associated with presence of concomitant extracapsular spread in lymph nodes of the respective patient. This work found extracapsular spread of lymph node metastasis to be a common feature of lymph node positive ovarian cancer. Since ECG was positively associated with grade, LNR and shortened overall survival, we hypothesize that the presence of ECG may be interpreted as an indicator of tumor aggressiveness.


1983 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 449-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Natale Cascinelli ◽  
Ferdinando Preda ◽  
Maurizio Vaglini ◽  
Sergio Orefice ◽  
...  

1164 patients with stage I melanoma of the skin who were submitted to wide excision only of the primary tumor were studied to evaluate the rates of regional lymph node and distant metastases. Of these, 516 (44.3%) had a recurrence of the disease which was at regional lymph nodes in 264 (22.7%), at distant sites in 91 (7.8%), and simultaneously at regional lymph nodes and distant sites in 161 (13.8%). Most of the patients had a relapse within 5 years: regional node metastases were most frequently observed during the first 3 years, and distant metastases appeared later. The ratio regional:distant metastases was not different (P > 0.05) when subgroups of patients were considered according to prognostic criteria (sex, site of origin, levels, thickness, ulceration). Sex, levels, thickness and ulceration were found to be significantly related with the frequency of recurrences (regional and distant). It is concluded that the prognostic criteria considered do not predict whether the tumor will metastasize to regional nodes or to distant sites.


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