Risk of lymph node metastases in patients with T1b oesophageal adenocarcinoma: A retrospective single centre experience

AIM: To assess clinical outcomes for submucosal (T1b) oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) patients managed with either surgery or endoscopic eradication therapy. METHODS: Patients found to have T1b OAC following endoscopic resection between January 2008 to February 2016 at University College London Hospital were retrospectively analysed. Patients were split into low-risk and high-risk groups according to established histopathological criteria and were then further categorised according to whether they underwent surgical resection or conservative management. Study outcomes include the presence of lymph-node metastases, disease-specific mortality and overall survival. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients were included; 22 patients were surgically managed (1 low-risk and 21 high-risk patients) whilst 38 patients were treated conservatively (12 low-risk and 26 high-risk). Overall, lymph node metastases (LNM) were detected in 10 patients (17%); six of these patients had undergone conservative management and LNM were detected at a median of 4 mo after endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). All LNM occurred in patients with high-risk lesions and this represented 21% of the total high-risk lesions. Importantly, there was no statistically significant difference in tumor-related deaths between those treated surgically or conservatively (P = 0.636) and disease-specific survival time was also comparable between the two treatment strategies (P = 0.376). CONCLUSION: T1b tumours without histopathological high-risk markers of LNM can be treated endoscopically with good out-comes. In selected patients, endoscopic therapy may be appropriate for high-risk lesions.