Abstract
We studied lymph node involvement in upper esophageal carcinoma and compared it to nodal involvement in hypopharyngeal carcinoma.
In carcinoma of pyriform sinus, lymph node metastases were most frequently observed in the jugular chain, especially in its upper portion. Involvement of the jugular nodes was also very frequent in carcinoma of the postcricoid area and the posterior wall of the hypopharynx, although the lymph node involvement of these cases not infrequently included the accessory, paratracheal and/or paraesophageal nodes. In cervical esophageal carcinoma, metastases to the supraclavicular, paratracheal and paraesophageal nodes were more common.
When the main portion of upper esophageal carcinoma was situated above the thoracic inlet, the involvement of the middle and lower mediastinal and abdominal lymph nodes was very rare, which suggests that a dissection of these areas is not necessary in this type of carcinoma. However, a dissection of all cervical, mediastinal and abdominal lymph nodes is strongly recommended if the main portion of an upper esophageal carcinoma is located below the thoracic inlet.
