Maximizing Lymph Node Dissection on Fresh and Fixed Lung Cancer Resection Specimens
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Subjects undergoing a lung specimen lymph node dissection, Control group.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Lung Cancer, Lymph Node Metastasis, Pathologic Processes. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
Lung cancer patients undergoing upfront surgery, highly benefit from a systematic lymph node dissection in the mediastinum and in the surgical specimens. The latter is performed by the pathologist. Developing a standardized technique to dissect the lobectomy specimen has the potential of maximizing the retrieval of all N1 stations lymph nodes. The investigators believe that the adoption of such technique will improve lung cancer staging and identify a higher number of patients that qualify for adjuvant therapies.
Detailed description
Anatomic lung resection with systematic mediastinal lymph node dissection is the standard of care for patients with clinical stage I or II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While the best type of resection may sometimes be debated, it is clear that mediastinal, hilar, and lobar lymph nodes (LNs) should be routinely retrieved to achieve a complete lung cancer resection. According to major international guidelines, at least 3 hilar/intrapulmonary stations and 3 mediastinal stations should be assessed during resection. Although there is still a debate over whether the ideal number of LN stations sampled or the total number of LNs removed per station provides a better analysis, radical systematic LN dissection seems to offer the best oncological outcomes. In fact, in patients with tumors ≤4 cm in diameter completely resected, the quality of the mediastinal lymph node dissection and the thoroughness of the examination of the surgical specimen will select candidates for adjuvant treatment and define oncologic prognosis. The consequences of an incorrect lymph node classification can be substantial: while patients with N0 NSCLC have approximately 75% 5-year overall survival (OS), patients with NSCLC classified as N1 have a 5-year OS of 49%, and patients with NSCLC classified as N2 a 5-year OS of 36%. Therefore, the burden of determining the correct prognosis lies on the surgeon to perform a rigorous and thorough oncological resection, and on the pathologist to fully assess enough intrapulmonary LNs. Inaccuracy by either specialist leads to pathologic understage and suboptimal clinical management, which will lead to poor patient outcomes.
Developing a standardized technique to dissect the lobectomy specimen has the potential of maximizing the retrieval of all N1 stations lymph nodes. The investigators believe that the adoption of such technique will improve lung cancer staging and identify a higher number of patients that qualify for adjuvant therapies.
Interventions
- Other Subjects undergoing a lung specimen lymph node dissection
A lobectomy specimen's resection will undergo systematic lymph node dissection either by the patient's treating thoracic surgeon and/or by a member of the pathology team. The protocol for a standardized lymph node dissection consists of a series of blunt peribronchial dissections starting from the hilum to the periphery, with particular attention to points of airway bifurcation where intrapulmonary lymph nodes aggregate. By emphasizing the intrapulmonary lymph node map and a standardized dissec - Other Control group
Control group
Primary outcome measures
- Number of lymph nodes sampled [Time frame: 2 weeks]
- Nodal upstage rate [Time frame: 2 weeks]
Secondary outcome measures (1)
- 3y RFS [Time frame: 3 years]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Subjects with a lung nodule or mass who are eligible to undergo a lobectomy.
- Subject without any metastasis present.
- Subjects who have peripheral lung nodule location
- Subjects must be 18 years of age or older.
Exclusion criteria
- Subjects who received preoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
- Subjects who have a lung nodule located in a central location. Central tumors are defined by those infiltrating the lobar airway.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- Non-randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Diagnostic
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- Brigham and Womens Hospital — Boston
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06252129 · DFCI IRB protocol #23-576