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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2009.07.017 Byline: Shawn S. Groth (a), Beth A. Virnig (b)(c), Bryan A. Whitson (a), Todd E. DeFor (c), Zhong-ze Li (c), Todd M. Tuttle (a)(c), Michael A. Maddaus (a)(c) Abbreviations: AJCC, American Joint Committee on Cancer; CI, confidence interval; GEJ, gastroesophageal junction; LN, lymph node; OR, odds ratio; SEER, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Abstract: We used a population-based cancer registry to examine the association between lymph node counts and mortality to determine the minimum number of lymph nodes that should be examined as part of esophageal resection. Author Affiliation: (a) University of Minnesota Department of Surgery, Division of Thoracic Foregut Surgery, Minneapolis, Minn (b) University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Health Policy and Management, Minneapolis, Minn (c) University of Minnesota Cancer Center, Minneapolis, Minn Article History: Received 12 November 2008; Revised 27 May 2009; Accepted 6 July 2009 Article Note: (footnote) Disclosures: None.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2009.10.003 Byline: Brendon M. Stiles (a), Paul Christos (b), Jeffrey L. Port (a), Paul C. Lee (a), Subroto Paul (a), James Saunders (a), Nasser K. Altorki (a) Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio; pCR, complete pathologic response; PET, positron emission tomography; pT, pathologic T Abstract: In patients with esophageal cancer, a complete pathologic response after preoperative therapy is universally regarded as a favorable prognostic factor. However, less is known about factors predictive of outcome in patients with persistent nodal disease. The purpose of this study is to determine which variables affect survival in this patient population. Author Affiliation: (a) Division of Thoracic Surgery, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (b) Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY Article History: Received 18 May 2009; Revised 3 September 2009; Accepted 1 October 2009 Article Note: (footnote) Disclosures: None., Dr Christos was partially supported by the Clinical Translational Science Center (CTSC) (UL1-RR024996) grant.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2009.04.011 Byline: Bryan A. Whitson (a), Shawn S. Groth (a), Zhongze Li (b), Robert A. Kratzke (a)(c), Michael A. Maddaus (a) Abbreviations: AJCC, American Joint Committee on Cancer; DE, distal esophageal; GC, gastric cardia; GEJ, gastroesophageal junction; SEER, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Abstract: Distal esophageal tumors and gastric cardia tumors, although only physically separated by centimeters, have different staging systems and are usually treated differently. We hypothesized that gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinomas (eg, gastric cardia and distal esophageal tumors) were not distinct entities and had similar survival. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Surgery, Division of Thoracic and Foregut Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn (b) Biostatistics Core, University of Minnesota Cancer Center, Minneapolis, Minn (c) Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn Article History: Received 3 July 2008; Revised 26 March 2009; Accepted 12 April 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2008.11.042 Byline: Cameron D. Wright (a), John C. Kucharczuk (b), Sean M. O'Brien (c), Joshua D. Grab (c), Mark S. Allen (d) Abbreviations: ASA, American Society of Anesthesiology; CAD, coronary artery disease; CHF, congestive heart failure; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV.sub.1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; GTDB, General Thoracic Database; NIS, Nationwide Inpatient Sample; PVD, peripheral vascular disease; RAR, risk-adjusted rate; SEER, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results; STS, Society of Thoracic Surgeons; VA NSQIP, Department of Veterans Affairs National Surgical Quality Improvement Program; BMI, body mass index Abstract: To create a model for perioperative risk of esophagectomy for cancer using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Database. Author Affiliation: (a) Division of Thoracic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass (b) Division of Thoracic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa (c) Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC (d) Division of General Thoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Rochester, Minn Article History: Received 7 May 2008; Revised 30 September 2008; Accepted 16 November 2008 Article Note: (footnote) Presented at the 88th annual meeting of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery, May 10-14, San Diego, Calif.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2006.12.040 Byline: Alberto Ruol (a), Giuseppe Portale (b), Giovanni Zaninotto (a), Matteo Cagol (b), Francesco Cavallin (b), Carlo Castoro (b), Vanna Chiarion Sileni (b), Rita Alfieri (a), Sabrina Rampado (a), Ermanno Ancona (b) Abstract: The aging of the population and a longer life expectancy have led to an increased number of elderly patients with esophageal cancer being referred for surgical treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of age on the outcome of surgery for esophageal cancer at a single institution. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Clinica Chirurgica III, University of Padova School of Medicine, Padova, Italy. (b) Istituto Oncologico Veneto (IOV-IRCCS), Padova, Italy. Article History: Received 10 September 2006; Revised 15 November 2006; Accepted 12 December 2006

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2008.02.016 Byline: Ichirou Higuchi (a), Takushi Yasuda (a), Masahiko Yano (a), Yuichirou Doki (a), Hiroshi Miyata (a), Mitsuaki Tatsumi (b), Hironori Fukunaga (a), Shuji Takiguchi (a), Yoshiyuki Fujiwara (a), Jun Hatazawa (b), Morito Monden (a) Abbreviations: FDG, fludeoxyglucose F 18; PET, positron emission tomography; SCC, squamous cell carcinoma; SUV.sub.max, maximum standardized uptake value Abstract: Patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy to improve survival, but benefits are observed only in those with histologic response. Positron emission tomography with fludeoxyglucose F 18 (INN fludeoxyglucose [.sup.18F]) detects accumulation of glucose analog in viable cancer cells. This study investigated the usefulness of positron emission tomography with fludeoxyglucose F 18 in assessment of response of advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to neoadjuvant treatment to establish new criteria to predict postoperative long-term survival. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan (b) Department of Nuclear Medicine and Tracer Kinetics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan Article History: Received 19 June 2007; Revised 25 January 2008; Accepted 15 February 2008