[Related factors of right recurrent nerve nodal involvement in esophageal cancer].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study the related factors of right recurrent nerve nodal involvement in esophageal cancer. METHODS: 280 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer received esophagectomy and right recurrent nerve node dissection. The clinicopathological data were analyzed retrospectively. Univariate data were analyzed by chi-square test, and multivariate data were analyzed by logistic regression. RESULTS: The right recurrent nerve nodal metastasis was found in 76 cases (27.1%, 76/280). In the 979 excised right recurrent nerve nodes, metastases were found in 118 nodes (12.1%). The tumor staging, the total number of involved lymph nodes, vascular invasion, the number of lymph node metastases in the thorax, the number of lymph node metastasis in the abdomen, subcarinal node metastasis, and peri-esophageal lymph node metastasis were independent risk factors of right recurrent nerve node metastasis in esophageal carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Right recurrent nerve lymph nodes should be dissected in those patients with high risk factors of lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal carcinoma.