Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40186668›Full record

ArticleLangenbeck's archives of surgery2025

The optimal number of lymph node dissections in three-field lymphadenectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a large retrospective study.

Huaiyuan Zhang, Jun-Peng Lin, Xiao-Feng Chen, Feng Wang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Langenbeck's archives of surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Huaiyuan Zhang *Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
Jun-Peng Lin *Department of Thoracic Oncology Surgery, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
Xiao-Feng ChenDepartment of Thoracic Oncology Surgery, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
Feng WangDepartment of Thoracic Oncology Surgery, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China. wfmd120@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCurrently, there is no consensus on the optimal number of lymph node dissections (LNDs) in three-field lymphadenectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study aimed to explore the relationship between the LND count and overall survival (OS) in ESCC patients to determine the optimal number of LNDs that confer a survival benefit.

methodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on ESCC patients who underwent three-field lymphadenectomy at Fujian Cancer Hospital from February 2004 to January 2018. The optimal LND number was determined using X-Tile software. Kaplan‒Meier survival curves and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between LND count and OS.

resultsA total of 1053 ESCC patients who underwent three-field lymphadenectomy were included in this study (median age 58 years [IQR: 52-65], 781 males [74.2%]). Using X-Tile software, 27 was identified as the optimal cutoff value for the number of LNDs. The 5-year OS for the > 27 LNDs group was significantly better than that for the ≤ 27 LNDs group (67.8% vs. 59.8%, P = 0.042). Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed that LND count (≤ 27 and > 27) was an independent protective factor for OS (HR = 0.724; P = 0.004). Stratified analysis on the basis of TNM stage revealed that in patients with T3-4N0M0 disease (HR = 0.412; P = 0.001) and T1-2 N + M0 disease (HR = 0.503; P = 0.025), a greater number of dissected lymph nodes was closely associated with a survival benefit.

conclusionFor ESCC patients undergoing three-field lymphadenectomy, dissecting more than 27 lymph nodes is associated with better prognosis, especially for patients with T3-4N0M0 and T1-2 N + M0 stages.

Indexed as

Esophageal NeoplasmsEsophageal Squamous Cell CarcinomaLymph Node ExcisionAgedEsophagectomyFemaleHumansLymphatic MetastasisMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingRetrospective StudiesSurvival RateEsophageal squamous cell carcinomaLymph nodeThree-field

Identifiers

PMID40186668
PMCPMC11972225

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.