Development and validation of a prognostic model for overall survival in pN0 esophageal cancer patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a SEER database-based study

The findings suggest that dissecting an adequate number of lymph nodes is associated with improved survival in patients with pN0 EC. Most probably, this is due to more adequate staging of the pN-status of patients and avoidance of understaging. The nomogram provides more precise survival prediction than TNM staging, aiding personalized prognosis and treatment planning. Clinicians should prioritize achieving these lymph node dissection thresholds to optimize staging accuracy, though external validation in diverse populations is warranted.