Work

Analyses on patterns of lymph node metastasis and its impact on prognosis in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone: a single-center, retrospective cohort study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Objective To compare the patterns of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC) treated with neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (nICT) versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT) alone and its impact on prognosis and potential clinical implications. Methods A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted on 441 patients with locally advanced TESCC who underwent nCT (n=179) or nICT (n=262) followed by esophagectomy. LNM patterns were analyzed according to the Japanese Classification of Esophageal Cancer (12 th Edition), using metrics including lymph node ratio (LNR), lymph node metastasis rate and actual lymph node metastasis rate for specific stations. Postoperative recurrence patterns, overall survival (OS), and event-free survival (EFS) were also evaluated. Results Compared with nCT, nICT achieved a significantly higher pathological complete response (pCR) rate (22.1% vs. 6.7%, p < 0.001) and a lower metastatic lymph node ratio (LNR) (3.5% vs 6.2%, p < 0.001). Although the overall LNM rate was similar between groups, nICT demonstrated reduced lymph node involvement in several key station lymph nodes, particularly level 7 (along the left gastric artery), with lower the lymph node metastasis rate (LNMR2) (7.6% vs. 14.5%, p = 0.020) and the actual metastasis rate (LNMR3) (8.4% vs. 16.8%, p = 0.012). The overall recurrence/metastasis rate was significantly lower in the nICT group (36.2% vs. 56.8%, p < 0.001), with a notable reduction of recurrence at the anastomotic site. In multivariable analyses, nICT independently predicted lower recurrence risk (adjusted OR = 0.55, p = 0.013) and improved EFS (HR = 0.65, p = 0.001) while OS was not statistically different between groups. Conclusion In comparison to nCT alone, nICT was significantly associated with deeper pathological response, lower LNM burden, and reduced postoperative recurrence in TESCC.

Source: Frontiers in Immunology

DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1762746