Esophageal carcinoma (EC) is a highly lethal malignancy with a poor prognosis. One of the most important prognostic factors in EC is lymph node status. Therefore, lymphadenectomy has been recognized as a key that influences the outcome of surgical treatment for EC. However, the lymphatic drainage system of the esophagus, including an abundant lymph-capillary network in the lamina propria and muscularis mucosa, is very complex with cervical, mediastinal and celiac node spreading. The extent of lymphadenectomy for EC has always been controversial because of the very complex pattern of lymph node spreading. In this article, published literature regarding lymphatic spreading was reviewed and the current lymphadenectomy trends for EC are discussed.
Keywords: Anatomical lymphatic system; Esophageal cancer; Lymph node metastasis; Lymphadenectomy; Lymphatic spreading.