The prognostic role of coeliac node metastasis after resection for distal oesophageal cancer

It is uncertain whether coeliac node metastasis precludes long-term survival in distal oesophageal cancer. This nationwide population-based cohort study included patients who underwent surgical resection for stage III or IV distal oesophageal cancer in 1987–2010 with follow-up until 2014. A minority (17.0%) had neoadjuvant therapy. The prognosis in patients with coeliac node metastasis was compared with patients with no such metastasis and patients with more distant metastasis. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression models provided hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of disease-specific and overall mortality. Among 446 patients, 346 (77.6%) had no coeliac node metastasis, 56 (12.6%) had coeliac node metastasis, and 44 (9.9%) had more distant metastasis. Compared to coeliac node negative patients, coeliac node positive patients were at a 52% increased risk of disease-specific mortality (HR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.10–2.10), while patients with more distant metastasis had a 27% statistically non-significant increase (HR = 1.27, 95% CI 0.88–1.83). Patients with distant metastasis had no increase in disease-specific mortality compared to those with coeliac node metastasis (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.40–1.27). Thus, patients with distal oesophageal cancer with coeliac node metastasis seem to have a similarly poor survival as patients with more distant metastasis, and thus may not benefit from surgery.