Aims: To determine the prevalence of isolated tumour cells (ITC) in lymph nodes of patients with pathological node-negative (pN0) tumours and to assess their impact on disease-free and overall survival.
Methods: Paraffin embedded lymph nodes from oesophagogastrectomy specimens were examined immunohistochemically using monoclonal anti-cytokeratin antibody (MNF118). Clinical and pathological features were summarised and overall and relapse-free survival were estimated.