Detection of lymph node metastases in oesophageal cancer

Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>The importance of lymph node status in oesophageal cancer cannot be disputed. It is therefore surprising that no standardization exists in either terminology or methodology in lymph node analysis.<h4>Methods</h4>All online databases were searched to identify articles published from 1970 onwards. This was supplemented by hand searching references of retrieved articles.<h4>Results and conclusion</h4>Without accurate identification of lymph node metastases, patients cannot be staged properly, nor can best practice for the treatment of oesophageal cancer be determined. This review outlines the problem and proposes recommendations for standardization in terminology and methodology for the detection of lymph node metastases in oesophageal cancer.