Evaluation of the incidence of splenic hilar lymph node metastasis in patients operated on for esophagogastric junction cancer

Introduction. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of esophagogastric junction cancer (EGJC) staging on the risk of splenic hilar lymph node involvement. Material and methods. 312 patients with EGJC after R0 surgery were analyzed; 118 (38%) women and 194 (62%) men, median age 58 (29–80) years. In 81 (25.27%) cases, metastases were found in splenic lymph nodes (gr. 10). Results. in stage I and II A (IA and IB), no metastases were found in splenic hilar lymph nodes (0/42 and 0/18, respectively), in stage IIB 9.61% (5/52), in IIIA 21.74% (15/69), in IIIB 36.36% (16/44), in IIIC 46.83% (37/79), and in stage IV 100% (8/8). Conclusions. The highest risk of metastasis of esophagogastric junction cancer to splenic hilar lymph nodes exists in caners stage III and IV. Spleen-sparing elective splenectomy or group 10 lymphadenectomy may be of importance in the treatment of patients with stage III and IV gastroesophageal junction cancer, however, the assessment of its usefulness requires further prospective clinical trials.