The impact of lymph node station on survival in 348 patients with surgically resected malignant pleural mesothelioma: Implications for revision of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system Journal Article


Authors: Flores, R. M.; Routledge, T.; Seshan, V. E.; Dycoco, J.; Zakowski, M.; Hirth, Y.; Rusch, V. W.
Article Title: The impact of lymph node station on survival in 348 patients with surgically resected malignant pleural mesothelioma: Implications for revision of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system
Abstract: Objectives: The propensity of malignant pleural mesothelioma to metastasize to N1 or N2 nodes and their corresponding prognostic value is unclear. The American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system groups N1 and N2 disease together as stage III. The goal of this study was to define the prognostic value of specific nodal stations. Methods: Patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who underwent resection were identified from an institutional database. Nodal stations were defined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer lung cancer node map classification. Survival was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards analysis. Results: From 1990 to 2006, 348 patients were identified: 279 men and 69 women with a median age of 67 years (range 26-85 years). Extrapleural pneumonectomy was performed in 223 cases, and pleurectomy/decortication was performed in 125 cases. Survival differences (P < .01) were observed between 2 groups: N0 or N1(+) (median survival = 19 months) and N2(+), N2/N1(+) and internal thoracic(+) (median survival = 10 months). Survival was influenced by the number of involved N2 stations (0, 1, 2, or more: P < .001). Multivariate analysis grouping all N2 and internal thoracic(+) versus N1(+) and N0 demonstrated a hazard ratio for survival of 1.7 (P < .0001) controlling for T3/T4 status (hazard ratio = 1.3, P < .01), non-epithelioid histology (hazard ratio = 1.7, P < .0001), extrapleural pneumonectomy (1.1, P = .4), and male gender (hazard ratio 1.4, P < .01). Conclusion: This study confirms a preferential pattern of drainage of malignant pleural mesothelioma to N2 rather than N1 lymph nodes, but suggests that N1 only nodal involvement should be classified as lower stage disease. Multiple N2 nodal site involvement could potentially be classified as higher stage disease than single station N2. Our results emphasize the need for larger, confirmatory multicenter studies that could lead to revision of the current staging system. © 2008 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery.
Keywords: adult; cancer survival; controlled study; aged; aged, 80 and over; middle aged; major clinical study; cancer staging; lymph nodes; neoplasm staging; lung resection; pleura mesothelioma; mesothelioma; multivariate analysis; pleural neoplasms
Journal Title: Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
Volume: 136
Issue: 3
ISSN: 0022-5223
Publisher: Mosby Elsevier  
Date Published: 2008-01-01
Start Page: 605
End Page: 610
Language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2008.02.069
PUBMED: 18805259
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Cited By (since 1996): 16" - "Export Date: 17 November 2011" - "CODEN: JTCSA" - "Source: Scopus"
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  1. Venkatraman Ennapadam Seshan
    382 Seshan
  2. Valerie W Rusch
    865 Rusch
  3. Raja Flores
    108 Flores
  4. Maureen F Zakowski
    289 Zakowski
  5. Joseph Dycoco
    46 Dycoco