Does lymph node ratio affect prognosis in gastroesophageal cancer?

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Oncology
• Cancer Prognostics

Background:

• The lymph node ratio (LNR), calculated as the ratio of metastatic to examined lymph nodes, is increasingly recognized as a prognostic factor in various cancers.
• Its impact on survival following esophagogastric resection for cancer warrants further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between the lymph node ratio (LNR) and overall survival in patients who underwent esophagogastric resection for cancer.
• To determine if LNR is an independent predictor of survival in this patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing gastroesophageal resection for cancer between 1998 and 2008.
• Patients were stratified into four groups based on their LNR: N0 (negative nodes), LNR < 0.3, 0.31–0.6, and > 0.6.
• Overall median survival was the primary endpoint, with multivariate analysis used to assess independent predictors.

Main Results:

• A higher LNR was significantly associated with more advanced cancer stage (P < .001).
• Increased LNR correlated with adverse pathological features, including grading and venous/perineural invasion.
• Multivariate analysis confirmed LNR as an independent predictor of survival.

Conclusions:

• The lymph node ratio (LNR) is a valuable prognostic indicator in patients with gastroesophageal cancer undergoing radical resection.
• Elevated LNR is linked to unfavorable pathological characteristics and negatively impacts patient survival.
• LNR should be considered in the staging and treatment planning for gastroesophageal cancer.