Is the prognostic impact of tumor location in patients with surgically resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma affected by surgical approach?

ABSTRACT

AIM: The aim of the present study was to clarify differences in node metastasis mode and clinical outcomes based on tumor location in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants comprised 228 patients with ESCC who underwent radical esophagectomy without preoperative supplement therapies. Lymph nodes were harvested from three fields the neck, thorax, and abdomen. Patients were divided into three groups depending on tumor location [upper esophagus (UE), middle esophagus, or lower esophagus (LE)] and analyzed clinicopathologically. RESULTS: The LE group showed significantly more progressive ESCC in terms of tumor invasion (p = 0.025), node metastasis (p = 0.0071), and TNM stage (p = 0.0043). The LE group revealed a tendency to metastasize to extrathoracic (especially abdominal) nodes (p = 0.0008). Recurrent laryngeal node metastasis was increased in the UE group (p = 0.016). However, no prognostic differences were detected between groups according to tumor location. Likewise, subgroup analyses by surgical approach (open thoracotomy vs. thoracoscopy) and cancer stage (stage I/II, III, and IV) did not reveal any significant prognostic impact of tumor location. CONCLUSION: Lymphatic spread varied by tumor location, but no prognostic impact of tumor location could be detected in patients with ESCC in spite of surgical approach or cancer stage.