Multifocal T4 non-small cell lung cancer: a subset with improved prognosis.

Objective: T4-disease for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) includes different conditions: mediastinal invasion, neoplastic pleural cytology, and multifocal disease in the same lobe; regarding the last category, no strict criteria allow to differentiate satellite nodules from synchronous multiple primary tumours.

Methods: Retrospective study of 56 patients who underwent a complete resection from 1985 to 2006 of a NSCLC graded pT4N0 due to multifocal disease. A small nodule (<1cm) closed to the primary tumour, in a same pulmonary segment with an identical histology was considered as a satellite nodule (pT4sn).

Transthoracic esophagectomy for adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus: standard versus extended two-field mediastinal lymphadenectomy?

Objective: Controversy continues over the optimal extent of lymphadenectomy for the surgical treatment of Adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus.

Methods: From 1996 to 2003, 102 transthoracic en-bloc esophagectomy were performed for adenocarcinoma. Based on the 1994 consensus conference of the International Society of Disease of Esophagus, 35 patients underwent standard lymphadenectomy whereas 67 underwent extended lymphadenectomy.