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Updated: Jul 16, 2026
06:09
Quantification of Tumor Cell Adhesion in Lymph Node Cryosections
Published on: February 9, 2020
The concept of lymph node density--is it ready for clinical practice?
1Department of Urology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA. herrh@mskcc.org
The Journal of Urology
|March 27, 2007
Summary
Lymph node density is a significant prognostic factor for recurrence-free survival in patients with invasive bladder cancer. Further validation is needed before routine clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Bladder cancer recurrence after cystectomy poses a significant clinical challenge.
- Accurate prognostic factors are crucial for guiding treatment decisions and patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the prognostic significance of lymph node density (LND) for recurrence-free survival in patients with invasive bladder cancer.
- To evaluate the existing literature on the role of nodal ratios in bladder cancer prognosis.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify studies examining lymph node density and bladder cancer survival.
- Articles addressing nodal ratios and their impact on patient outcomes were included.
Main Results:
- Five studies, involving 979 patients, were analyzed.
- Lymph node density was identified as a significant predictor of survival in four of the studies, even after adjusting for other clinical factors.
Conclusions:
- Substantial evidence supports the utility of lymph node density in predicting bladder cancer prognosis.
- Further methodologically rigorous evaluations and prospective clinical trials are recommended to establish LND in routine clinical practice.
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