Treatment Trends, Risk of Lymph Node Metastasis, and Outcomes for Localized Esophageal Cancer

In this retrospective study based on a database of 5390 patients with early-stage esophageal cancer, T1a and T1b lesions were treated by endoscopic (26.5%) or surgical resection (73.5%). For patients undergoing surgery, the incidence of lymph node metastasis was 5.0% for T1a and 16.6% for T1b lesions. Size > 2 cm and intermediate-/high-grade lesions were the best predictors of nodal involvement. The risk of nodal metastases should be considered when counseling patients.