PubMed1992
Between 1973 and 1990, 104 patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) (i.e., primary tumor within 2-3cm of and including the EGJ) were operated upon. Preoperatively, all were deemed potentially resectable. In 70, the esophagogastrectomy was combined with en-bloc resection, that is, wide excision of the primary mass in conjunction with radical lymph node dissection of the posterior mediastinum and upper abdomen. Postoperative staging was done using the WNM system [i.e., wall penetration (W), lymph node involvement (N), and systemic metastases (M)]. Sixty-four patients or 62% had lymph nodes positive for metastases and these neoplastic nodes were most common in the areas between the lower mediastinum and the celiac axis. Of the 70 patients undergoing radical en-bloc resection, paracardiac lymph nodes had the highest rate of metastatic involvement (40%) while gastric lesser curvature lymph nodes had 29%, and distal splenic/pancreatic lymph nodes 11%. Overall, the frequency of intrathoracic lymph nodal metastases was 7%. Those patients who had intrathoracic lymph nodal metastasis also had intraabdominal lymph nodal secondary tumor involvement. Among postoperative survivors, the percent of 5 year survival with N0 (no positive node) and N1 (1 to 3 positive nodes) stage of disease was 38.6% and 28.9%, respectively, compared to only 11.5% in those with N2 (4 or more positive nodes) staging. Because long-term survival is dismal in patients with multiple lymph nodal metastasis, preoperative and intraoperative staging is desirable to avoid morbidity of radical resection for EGJ adenocarcinomas. With less than 3 positive nodes, en bloc resection is worthwhile.