Objective:To determine the actual metastasis rate of paracolic lymph nodes (PCN) more than 10 cm proximal to rectal tumors and explore the significance of PCN dissection in the prognosis of patients with rectal cancer. ?Methods:This was a prospective observational cohort study. The clinical data of 457 consecutive patients with rectal cancer who underwent radical surgery at the Colorectal Tumor Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University from January 2015 to May 2022 were included. Inclusion criteria: (1) Pathologically confirmed rectal adenocarcinoma (anal margin ≤ 12 cm); (2) R0 resection was performed with a proximal margin ≥ 10 cm (measured on the in vivo specimen during surgery after intestinal mobilization); (3) For stage IV patients, only those with resectable metastatic lesions by R0 were included; (4) Patients who completed the full course of neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) must meet the surgical window of 8-12 weeks after radiotherapy. Exclusion criteria: tumors located more than 15 cm from the anal margin, synchronous multiple primary colorectal cancers, positive tumor margins, preoperative imaging suggesting lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM), presence of Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis, emergency surgery, recurrence after rectal cancer surgery, T4b tumors requiring combined organ resection, previous radiotherapy and chemotherapy for non-rectal cancer, and those with cardiac, pulmonary, renal and other organ dysfunction that could not tolerate surgery. After standard total mesorectal excision (TME), the proximal intestinal tube was transected at a level more than 10 cm above the lesion, and then intestinal anastomosis or enterostomy was completed. The distance from the tumor edge was marked and measured in vivo during the operation, and lymph nodes were harvested from the fresh specimen. Patients with PCN metastasis beyond 10 cm proximal to the tumor were classified into the positive lymph node group (pPCN group), while those without PCN metastasis beyond 10 cm proximal to the tumor were classified into the negative lymph node group (nPCN group). The differences in clinicopathological characteristics, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) between the two groups were compared, and risk factor analysis and survival analysis of pPCN were performed.Results:There were 16 cases (3.5%) in the pPCN group, 15 cases (3.3%) had central lymph node metastasis; the nPCN group included 441 cases. When comparing the baseline characteristics between the pPCN group and the nPCN group, there was no statistically significant difference in other aspects except that the cN stage was more advanced in the pPCN group ( P=0.006) (all P>0.05). The number of positive mesenteric lymph nodes in the pPCN group was higher than that in the nPCN group ( P<0.001), and the proportion of patients with a total number of harvested lymph nodes ≥12 and the number of lymph nodes with a short diameter >5 mm were both higher (all P<0.05). The proportion of patients with positive lymph nodes within 10 cm and the number of positive lymph nodes within 10 cm were also higher in the pPCN group (both P<0.001). Similar to the clinical TNM staging, the proportions of patients with pT3 and N2 stages, as well as the incidence of poorly differentiated tumors (G3, G4) were higher in the pPCN group ( P<0.001). The results of multivariate analysis showed that among the preoperative pathological characteristic variables, the presence of positive lymph nodes within 10 cm (OR=14.869, 95%CI: 2.993-73.858, P=0.001) and low tumor differentiation grade (OR=7.189, 95%CI: 2.091- 24.714, P=0.002) were independent risk factors for pPCN. The median follow-up time of the patients in this group was 63 (0-63) months. No local recurrence occurred in the pPCN group, and the 5-year OS was 50.0%, which was significantly lower than 78.0% in the nPCN group (HR=2.496, 95%CI: 1.263-4.930, P=0.008). The 3-year DFS was 43.8%, also significantly lower than 77.7% in the nPCN group (HR=2.950, 95%CI:1.488-5.846, P=0.002). Multivariate Cox prognostic analysis suggested that age ≥65 years (HR=2.041, 95%CI: 1.375-3.031, P<0.001), female (HR=1.838, 95%CI: 1.171-2.884, P=0.008), tumor length ≥3 cm (HR=1.747, 95%CI: 1.076-2.834, P=0.024), more advanced cT stage (HR=2.865, 95%CI: 1.234-6.653, P=0.014), and cM1 (HR=4.368, 95%CI: 2.480-7.694, P<0.001) were independent risk factors affecting OS. No neoadjuvant therapy (HR=0.636, 95%CI: 0.413-0.980, P=0.040) and cM1 (HR=5.556, 95%CI: 3.335-9.256, P<0.001) were independent risk factors affecting DFS. pPCN showed a tendency to be an independent risk factor for DFS (HR=1.942, 95%CI: 0.966-3.906, P=0.063). Conclusion:The incidence of pPCN is higher than expected, and the prognosis of patients is poor. Patients with high-risk factors may benefit from extended proximal intestinal resection (>10 cm) to avoid residual positive PCN, thereby reducing local recurrence.

Objective:This study aims to explore whether there are specific behavioral deficits of response inhibition and emotional processing in patients with checking obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and those with washing OCD.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2020 to December 2022, collecting clinical data from 75 OCD patients at the outpatient psychological consultation clinic of Xiangya Second Hospital and the clinical psychology department of Hunan Brain Hospital. The sample included 40 OCD patients with checking type (checking group, 24 males, 16 females, aged 14-34 years, mean age 22.1±5.0 years) and 35 OCD patients with washing type (washing group, 12 males, 23 females, aged 14-41 years, mean age 22.6±6.7 years). An age-matched healthy control group (control group) of 80 individuals (HCs, 37 males and 43 females, aged 14-25 years, mean age 20.8±1.9 years) was also recruited. All participants completed the Go/No-go task and Hariri task with behavioral data recorded. The Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale was used to assess the severity of OCD symptoms. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to assess the severity of depression and anxiety. A 3 (group: checking OCD, washing OCD and HC)×2 (task type: Go vs. No-go/Shape vs. Face) repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted to compare the behavioral performance across tasks.Results:Compared with HC group, both checking OCD group and washing OCD group had significantly higher scores in depression and anxiety ( F=85.43, 32.33,both P<0.05). When performing Go/No-go task, a significant group×task interaction effect was observed ( F3(2, 152)=3.23, P3=0.042, partialη32=0.04). In the checking OCD group, No-go accuracy was significantly lower than Go accuracy (accuracy=0.821 vs. 0.893, P<0.001); the checking OCD had significantly lower accuracy than HC in the No-go task (accuracy=0.821 vs. 0.876, P=0.005); there were no significant group differences between the washing OCD and HC in the No-go task ( P>0.05). When performing Hariri task, a significant group×task interaction effect was found ( F3(2, 152)=4.91, P3=0.009, partial η32=0.06). The washing OCD group showed significantly lower accuracy in matching emotional faces than the control group (0.879 vs. 0.936, P=0.001), whereas the checking OCD group showed no significant difference from the HC ( P>0.05); there were no significant group differences in shape matching task ( P>0.05). The accuracy of shape matching task was significantly higher than face matching task in the three groups (shape: checking OCD=0.936,washing OCD=0.929,HC=0.943; face:checking OCD=0.877,washing OCD=0.844,HC=0.917;all P>0.05). Conclusions:Checking OCD and washing OCD exhibit distinct behavioral impairment patterns in response inhibition and emotional processing. Checking-type OCD is primarily characterized by impaired response inhibition, whereas washing-type OCD is mainly associated with deficits in emotion processing.

Objective:To determine the actual metastasis rate of paracolic lymph nodes (PCN) more than 10 cm proximal to rectal tumors and explore the significance of PCN dissection in the prognosis of patients with rectal cancer. ?Methods:This was a prospective observational cohort study. The clinical data of 457 consecutive patients with rectal cancer who underwent radical surgery at the Colorectal Tumor Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University from January 2015 to May 2022 were included. Inclusion criteria: (1) Pathologically confirmed rectal adenocarcinoma (anal margin ≤ 12 cm); (2) R0 resection was performed with a proximal margin ≥ 10 cm (measured on the in vivo specimen during surgery after intestinal mobilization); (3) For stage IV patients, only those with resectable metastatic lesions by R0 were included; (4) Patients who completed the full course of neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) must meet the surgical window of 8-12 weeks after radiotherapy. Exclusion criteria: tumors located more than 15 cm from the anal margin, synchronous multiple primary colorectal cancers, positive tumor margins, preoperative imaging suggesting lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM), presence of Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis, emergency surgery, recurrence after rectal cancer surgery, T4b tumors requiring combined organ resection, previous radiotherapy and chemotherapy for non-rectal cancer, and those with cardiac, pulmonary, renal and other organ dysfunction that could not tolerate surgery. After standard total mesorectal excision (TME), the proximal intestinal tube was transected at a level more than 10 cm above the lesion, and then intestinal anastomosis or enterostomy was completed. The distance from the tumor edge was marked and measured in vivo during the operation, and lymph nodes were harvested from the fresh specimen. Patients with PCN metastasis beyond 10 cm proximal to the tumor were classified into the positive lymph node group (pPCN group), while those without PCN metastasis beyond 10 cm proximal to the tumor were classified into the negative lymph node group (nPCN group). The differences in clinicopathological characteristics, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) between the two groups were compared, and risk factor analysis and survival analysis of pPCN were performed.Results:There were 16 cases (3.5%) in the pPCN group, 15 cases (3.3%) had central lymph node metastasis; the nPCN group included 441 cases. When comparing the baseline characteristics between the pPCN group and the nPCN group, there was no statistically significant difference in other aspects except that the cN stage was more advanced in the pPCN group ( P=0.006) (all P>0.05). The number of positive mesenteric lymph nodes in the pPCN group was higher than that in the nPCN group ( P<0.001), and the proportion of patients with a total number of harvested lymph nodes ≥12 and the number of lymph nodes with a short diameter >5 mm were both higher (all P<0.05). The proportion of patients with positive lymph nodes within 10 cm and the number of positive lymph nodes within 10 cm were also higher in the pPCN group (both P<0.001). Similar to the clinical TNM staging, the proportions of patients with pT3 and N2 stages, as well as the incidence of poorly differentiated tumors (G3, G4) were higher in the pPCN group ( P<0.001). The results of multivariate analysis showed that among the preoperative pathological characteristic variables, the presence of positive lymph nodes within 10 cm (OR=14.869, 95%CI: 2.993-73.858, P=0.001) and low tumor differentiation grade (OR=7.189, 95%CI: 2.091- 24.714, P=0.002) were independent risk factors for pPCN. The median follow-up time of the patients in this group was 63 (0-63) months. No local recurrence occurred in the pPCN group, and the 5-year OS was 50.0%, which was significantly lower than 78.0% in the nPCN group (HR=2.496, 95%CI: 1.263-4.930, P=0.008). The 3-year DFS was 43.8%, also significantly lower than 77.7% in the nPCN group (HR=2.950, 95%CI:1.488-5.846, P=0.002). Multivariate Cox prognostic analysis suggested that age ≥65 years (HR=2.041, 95%CI: 1.375-3.031, P<0.001), female (HR=1.838, 95%CI: 1.171-2.884, P=0.008), tumor length ≥3 cm (HR=1.747, 95%CI: 1.076-2.834, P=0.024), more advanced cT stage (HR=2.865, 95%CI: 1.234-6.653, P=0.014), and cM1 (HR=4.368, 95%CI: 2.480-7.694, P<0.001) were independent risk factors affecting OS. No neoadjuvant therapy (HR=0.636, 95%CI: 0.413-0.980, P=0.040) and cM1 (HR=5.556, 95%CI: 3.335-9.256, P<0.001) were independent risk factors affecting DFS. pPCN showed a tendency to be an independent risk factor for DFS (HR=1.942, 95%CI: 0.966-3.906, P=0.063). Conclusion:The incidence of pPCN is higher than expected, and the prognosis of patients is poor. Patients with high-risk factors may benefit from extended proximal intestinal resection (>10 cm) to avoid residual positive PCN, thereby reducing local recurrence.

Objective:This study aims to explore whether there are specific behavioral deficits of response inhibition and emotional processing in patients with checking obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and those with washing OCD.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2020 to December 2022, collecting clinical data from 75 OCD patients at the outpatient psychological consultation clinic of Xiangya Second Hospital and the clinical psychology department of Hunan Brain Hospital. The sample included 40 OCD patients with checking type (checking group, 24 males, 16 females, aged 14-34 years, mean age 22.1±5.0 years) and 35 OCD patients with washing type (washing group, 12 males, 23 females, aged 14-41 years, mean age 22.6±6.7 years). An age-matched healthy control group (control group) of 80 individuals (HCs, 37 males and 43 females, aged 14-25 years, mean age 20.8±1.9 years) was also recruited. All participants completed the Go/No-go task and Hariri task with behavioral data recorded. The Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale was used to assess the severity of OCD symptoms. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to assess the severity of depression and anxiety. A 3 (group: checking OCD, washing OCD and HC)×2 (task type: Go vs. No-go/Shape vs. Face) repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted to compare the behavioral performance across tasks.Results:Compared with HC group, both checking OCD group and washing OCD group had significantly higher scores in depression and anxiety ( F=85.43, 32.33,both P<0.05). When performing Go/No-go task, a significant group×task interaction effect was observed ( F3(2, 152)=3.23, P3=0.042, partialη32=0.04). In the checking OCD group, No-go accuracy was significantly lower than Go accuracy (accuracy=0.821 vs. 0.893, P<0.001); the checking OCD had significantly lower accuracy than HC in the No-go task (accuracy=0.821 vs. 0.876, P=0.005); there were no significant group differences between the washing OCD and HC in the No-go task ( P>0.05). When performing Hariri task, a significant group×task interaction effect was found ( F3(2, 152)=4.91, P3=0.009, partial η32=0.06). The washing OCD group showed significantly lower accuracy in matching emotional faces than the control group (0.879 vs. 0.936, P=0.001), whereas the checking OCD group showed no significant difference from the HC ( P>0.05); there were no significant group differences in shape matching task ( P>0.05). The accuracy of shape matching task was significantly higher than face matching task in the three groups (shape: checking OCD=0.936,washing OCD=0.929,HC=0.943; face:checking OCD=0.877,washing OCD=0.844,HC=0.917;all P>0.05). Conclusions:Checking OCD and washing OCD exhibit distinct behavioral impairment patterns in response inhibition and emotional processing. Checking-type OCD is primarily characterized by impaired response inhibition, whereas washing-type OCD is mainly associated with deficits in emotion processing.

Objectives:To compare the efficiacy of retro-auricular single-site endoscopic thyroidectomy (RASSET) and that of transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA).Methods:In Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 10 patients underwent RASSET from June 2021 to August 2021, and 21 patients underwent TOETVA from January 2016 to August 2021. All the 21 patients′ clinical data was analyzed retrospectively. There were 2 males and 8 females in the RASSET group, aging (48.2±13.9) years (range: 28 to 67 years). There were 5 males and 16 females in the TOETVA group, aging (31.3±8.2) years (range: 21 to 49 years). All patients underwent thyroid lobectomy. A 3 cm in length incision was cut on single auricula posterior sulci to creat the approach in the RASSET group. Then a Trocar made with of a glove was inserted. Retaining the omohyoid, the sternocleidomastoid muscle and anterior cervical muscle were pulled apart, exposing a single lobe of the thyroid gland and lymphatic tissue of zone Ⅵ, for en-bloc resection. The clinical data of the two groups were collected and analyzed by t test, Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher exact test or χ 2 test. Clinical data and postoperative efficacy indexes such as operation time, postoperative C reactive protein level, and postoperative complications were recorded. Results:Compared with the TOETVA group, the operation time was longer in the RASSET group ((256.8±77.0) minutes vs. (201.2±54.9) minutes, t=2.31, P=0.028), and increase of postoperative C reaction protein (24 hours postoperative vs. preoperative) was lower in the RASSET group (8.58(13.24) mg/L vs. 46.24(48.88) mg/L, Z=-4.311, P<0.01). But there was no significant difference between the RASSET group and TOETVA group in the number of lymph nodes dissection (2(5) vs. 2(3), Z=-0.326, P=0.759). Besides, there were no complications in the RASSET group. Conclusion:Retro-auricular single-site endoscopic thyroid loectomy is easy to achieve the en-bloc resection of tumors with a well-concealed scar and less traumatic dissection.

Objectives:To compare the efficiacy of retro-auricular single-site endoscopic thyroidectomy (RASSET) and that of transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA).Methods:In Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 10 patients underwent RASSET from June 2021 to August 2021, and 21 patients underwent TOETVA from January 2016 to August 2021. All the 21 patients′ clinical data was analyzed retrospectively. There were 2 males and 8 females in the RASSET group, aging (48.2±13.9) years (range: 28 to 67 years). There were 5 males and 16 females in the TOETVA group, aging (31.3±8.2) years (range: 21 to 49 years). All patients underwent thyroid lobectomy. A 3 cm in length incision was cut on single auricula posterior sulci to creat the approach in the RASSET group. Then a Trocar made with of a glove was inserted. Retaining the omohyoid, the sternocleidomastoid muscle and anterior cervical muscle were pulled apart, exposing a single lobe of the thyroid gland and lymphatic tissue of zone Ⅵ, for en-bloc resection. The clinical data of the two groups were collected and analyzed by t test, Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher exact test or χ 2 test. Clinical data and postoperative efficacy indexes such as operation time, postoperative C reactive protein level, and postoperative complications were recorded. Results:Compared with the TOETVA group, the operation time was longer in the RASSET group ((256.8±77.0) minutes vs. (201.2±54.9) minutes, t=2.31, P=0.028), and increase of postoperative C reaction protein (24 hours postoperative vs. preoperative) was lower in the RASSET group (8.58(13.24) mg/L vs. 46.24(48.88) mg/L, Z=-4.311, P<0.01). But there was no significant difference between the RASSET group and TOETVA group in the number of lymph nodes dissection (2(5) vs. 2(3), Z=-0.326, P=0.759). Besides, there were no complications in the RASSET group. Conclusion:Retro-auricular single-site endoscopic thyroid loectomy is easy to achieve the en-bloc resection of tumors with a well-concealed scar and less traumatic dissection.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of laparoscopic extralevator abdominoperineal excision (laparoscopic ELAPE) for low rectal cancer with modified Lloyd-Davies lithotomy position and without turning position.Methods The retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 27 patients with low rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic ELAPE without turning position in the West China Hospital of Sichuan University from September 2013 to January 2015 were collected.The modified Lloyd-Davies lithotomy position was used in perineal resection.Observation indicators:(1) surgical situation;(2) postoperative recovery situation;(3) postoperative pathological examination situation;(4) follow-up and survival situations.Follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect postoperative complications,survival of patients and tumor recurrence or metastasis up to March 2017.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as (x)±s.Measurement data with skewed distribution were described as M (range).Results (1) Surgical situation:A total of 27 patients received laparoscopic ELAPE without turning position,and operation time and volume of intraoperative blood loss were (198±51)minutes and (85±66)mL.Among 5 of 27 patients with intraoperative complications,1 with intestinal perforation received successful intraoperative repair,1with presacral haemorrhage received successful hemostasis by intraoperative gauze pressing,1 with left and right pelvic plexus injury didn't receive special treatment,1 with left pelvic plexus injury + left internal iliac vein injury didn't receive special treatment and were repaired in vascular injury repair,1 with right neurovascular bundle injury didn't receive special treatment of nerve injury and received successful hemostasis by ultrasonic scalpel.There was no perforation in the site of the tumor.Number of lymph node dissected was 14 (range,9-22),and number of lymph node dissected ≥ 12 and ＜ 12 were detected in 15 and 12 patients,respectively.(2)Postoperative recovery situation:time to anal exsufflation and time for fluid diet intake in 27 patients were respectively (78±21)hours and (83±21)hours.Of 27 patients,8 with postoperative complications were improved by conservative treatment,including 1 in Clavien-Dindo Ⅰ (volume of perineal exudation ＞ 100 mL) and 7 in Clavien-Dindo Ⅱ (3 with pulmonary infection,2 with chylous fistula,1 with perineal incision infection and 1 with hematuria).There was no death within 30 days postoperatively.The median duration of hospital stay of 27 patients was 7 days (range,6-8 days).(3) Postoperative pathological examination situation:of 27 patients,1 and 26 had respectively positive and negative circumferential margins and median distance of circumferential margin was 0.7 cm (range,0.1-1.1 cm).T stage:14,12 and 1 patients were respectively detected in T2,T3 and T4.N stage:18,6 and 3 patients were respectively found in N0,N1 and N2.(4) Follow-up and survival situations:25 of 27 patients were followed up for 2-32 months,with a median time of 24 months.During the follow-up,5 had complications after discharge from hospital.Of 5 patients,2 with persistent anal pain didn't receive special treatment and were not relieved,and 3 with sexual dysfunction didn't receive special treatment and were followed up or observed.Of 25 patients,2 died of tumor-related diseases,1 died of non-tumor-related disease and other 22 had survival.No local tumor recurrence was detected.Eight patients had tumor distant metastases,including 4 with pulmonary metastases,3 with hepatic metastases and 1 with brain metastasis.Conclusion Laparoscopic ELAPE by modified Lloyd-Davies lithotomy position without turning position is safe and feasible,with closing pelvic floor peritoneum in stage Ⅰ.

BACKGROUNDPulmonary blastoma is a rare primary malignancy of the lung. It is now recognized in two forms: adult type pulmonary blastoma and childhood pleuropulmonary blastoma. The clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatments of adult type pulmonary blastoma are discussed in this article.

METHODSThe clinical records of 5 patients with adult type pulmonary blastoma admitted in Cancer Center, Sun Yet-sen University from 1964 to 2004 were analyzed and the literature on pulmonary blastoma was reviewed.

RESULTSThree patients were male and two were female with the ages ranged from 22 years old to 70. Their symptoms consisted mainly of cough, hemoptysis and chest pain. The pulmonary blastomas were mainly manifested as a solitary parenchymal mass of the lung on chest radiograph and CT. None of these patients was diognosed by fibrobronchoscopy nor sputum cytology. Three patients underwent lobectomy, one underwent pneumonectomy, and these four patients underwent mediastinal lymph node resection also. The fifth one received wedge resection and postoperative chemotherapy. At the end of follow-up, three patients died and two was alive, and the survival time was from 6 months to 11 years.

CONCLUSIONSPulmonary blastoma is difficult to be diagnosed before operation. Surgery is the best therapeutic choice up to now. It has poor response to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The prognosis of patient with pulmonary blastoma is variable.

OBJECTIVESTo identify predictors of survival following pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and provide evidence for the revision of patient selection criteria.

METHODS81 cases of pneumonectomy for NSCLC from January 1990 to May 1996 at our hospital were reviewed retrospectively. There were 65 men (80.2%) and 16 women (19.8%), with a mean age 53.4 +/- 9.4 years (range 20 - 68 years). Predominant histological types included squamous cell carcinoma (54.3%), adenocarcinoma (24.7%), and squamoadenocarcinoma (17.3%). After follow-up for more than 5 years, data were examined using the chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox-mantel test. The possible factors affecting survival were tested with univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTSThe 5-year survival of N(0), N(1) and N(2) disease of NSCLC following pneumonectomy was (20.8 +/- 9.9)%, (15.4 +/- 10.0)% and (4.0 +/- 2.8)%, respectively. There was no perioperative death. The operative complications morbidity was 22.2%. Factors adversely affecting survival with univariate analysis included age over 60 years for right pneumonectomy, cardiopulmonary complications, adenocarcinoma, peripheral location, tumor greatest dimension more than 10 cm, chest wall involvement and N(2) disease. Factors adversely affecting survival with multivariate analysis included cardiopulmonary complications, greatest tumor dimension more than 10 cm, chest wall involvement and N(2) disease.

CONCLUSIONSPneumonectomy provides survival benefit with a high operative complications morbidity. Old age (>/= 60 years) for right pneumonectomy, cardiopulmonary complications, adenocarcinoma, and N(2) disease may be negative prognostic factors of long-term survival. Patient selection should be based on cardiopulmonary evaluation and the stage of disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pneumonectomy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of mediastinoscopy in diagnosing unknown mediastinal disease and staging of lung cancers.

METHODSFrom October 2000 to August 2001, 41 patients were examined by cervical mediastinoscopy with or without anterior mediastinotomy for diagnostic and staging purposes. Of these 41 patients, 12 were for diagnosis of unknown mediastinal disease, 3 for diagnosis and staging of pulmonary nodule or mass clinically suspected to be malignancy and 26 for the staging of lung cancer.

RESULTSTen of 12 patients with unknown mediastinal disease were diagnosed pathologically as thymoma in 1, metastatic lesion from lung cancer in 1, metastatic thyroid carcinoma in 1, lymph node hyperplasia in 1, teratoma in 1, sarcoidosis in 1, inflammatory pseudotumor in 1 and tuberculosis in 3, giving a diagnostic rate of 83.3%. Of three patients with suspected malignancy, one was diagnosed as tuberculosis by cervical mediastinoscopy and the other two as lymphoma and pulmonary inflammatory pseudotumor by thoracoscopy and thoracotomy. The sensitivity and specificity of mediastinoscopy for the staging of mediastinal nodes in 26 lung cancers were 87.5% and 100%. Only one wound infection but no other major complication was found.

CONCLUSIONMediastinoscopy is a safe procedure which can accurately provide information on diagnosis and staging.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Mediastinoscopy ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging