Biomaterial Database

The prognostic significance of preoperative assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes in patients with lung cancer. 1988

G B Ratto, and C Mereu, and G Motta

Cattedra di Semeiotica Chirurgica I, University of Genoa, Italy.

In order to evaluate the prognostic significance of the preoperative assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes, 100 patients with potentially operable lung cancer underwent two-plane tomography, computed tomography (CT), transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA; 47 patients), and cervical mediastinoscopy. Mediastinoscopy proved to be the most accurate staging procedure. Tomography was less specific, detecting only advanced mediastinal node involvement, and CT was as sensitive as mediastinoscopy but sensibly less specific. TBNA gave no false positive results but a false negative rate of 25.5 percent. Accurate preoperative staging of mediastinal nodes is mandatory to optimize the resectability rate of lung cancer. Where metastatic involvement of mediastinal nodes was preoperatively documented at more than one level, tumors were invariably unresectable. Mediastinoscopic demonstration of intracapsular metastases at only one level did not preclude complete resection. Before thoracotomy, confirmation of neoplastic spread to mediastinal nodes suggests very low survival rates, especially in patients with incomplete removal of tumors.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008175	Lung Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the LUNG.	Cancer of Lung,Lung Cancer,Pulmonary Cancer,Pulmonary Neoplasms,Cancer of the Lung,Neoplasms, Lung,Neoplasms, Pulmonary,Cancer, Lung,Cancer, Pulmonary,Cancers, Lung,Cancers, Pulmonary,Lung Cancers,Lung Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Lung,Neoplasm, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Cancers,Pulmonary Neoplasm
D008207	Lymphatic Metastasis	Transfer of a neoplasm from its primary site to lymph nodes or to distant parts of the body by way of the lymphatic system.	Lymph Node Metastasis,Lymph Node Metastases,Lymphatic Metastases,Metastasis, Lymph Node
D008297	Male		Males
D008479	Mediastinal Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the MEDIASTINUM.	Cancer of Mediastinum,Mediastinal Cancer,Cancer of the Mediastinum,Mediastinum Cancer,Mediastinum Neoplasms,Neoplasms, Mediastinal,Cancer, Mediastinal,Cancer, Mediastinum,Cancers, Mediastinal,Cancers, Mediastinum,Mediastinal Cancers,Mediastinal Neoplasm,Mediastinum Cancers,Mediastinum Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Mediastinal,Neoplasm, Mediastinum,Neoplasms, Mediastinum
D008481	Mediastinoscopy	Endoscopic examination, therapy or surgery of the anterior superior mediastinum of the thorax.	Mediastinoscopic Surgical Procedures,Surgical Procedures, Mediastinoscopic,Mediastinoscopic Surgery,Surgery, Mediastinoscopic,Mediastinoscopic Surgeries,Mediastinoscopic Surgical Procedure,Mediastinoscopies,Procedure, Mediastinoscopic Surgical,Procedures, Mediastinoscopic Surgical,Surgeries, Mediastinoscopic,Surgical Procedure, Mediastinoscopic
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011300	Preoperative Care	Care given during the period prior to undergoing surgery when psychological and physical preparations are made according to the special needs of the individual patient. This period spans the time between admission to the hospital to the time the surgery begins. (From Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed)	Care, Preoperative,Preoperative Procedure,Preoperative Procedures,Procedure, Preoperative,Procedures, Preoperative
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D011446	Prospective Studies	Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group.	Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D002283	Carcinoma, Bronchogenic	Malignant neoplasm arising from the epithelium of the BRONCHI. It represents a large group of epithelial lung malignancies which can be divided into two clinical groups: SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER and NON-SMALL-CELL LUNG CARCINOMA.	Carcinoma, Bronchial,Bronchial Carcinoma,Bronchial Carcinomas,Bronchogenic Carcinoma,Bronchogenic Carcinomas,Carcinomas, Bronchial,Carcinomas, Bronchogenic