Published online Mar 21, 2015. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i11.3274
Peer-review started: August 8, 2014
First decision: August 27, 2014
Revised: October 6, 2014
Accepted: November 19, 2014
Article in press: November 19, 2014
Published online: March 21, 2015
Processing time: 223 Days and 22.4 Hours
AIM: To evaluate the predictive value of the lymph node (LN) ratio (LNR, number of metastatic LNs/ examined LNs) for recurrence in patients with rectal cancer and to compare its applicability according to preoperative chemoradiotherapy (PCRT).
METHODS: From 2000 to 2009, 967 patients with metastatic LNs after curative resection for locally advanced rectal cancer were identified. Patients were categorized according to PCRT (PCRT vs No PCRT). The cut-off LNR was determined based on the pN1 vs pN2 when the recommended number of LNs was harvested. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates using the Kaplan-Meier method were compared according to p/yp N stage and the LNR in each group.
RESULTS: Among patients with the same p/ypN stage, the 5-year RFS rate differed according to the LNR. In addition, the 5-year RFS rate was significantly different between pN and LNR groups in patients with No PCRT. In PCRT group, however, only LNR was associated with prognosis. On multivariate analysis, both pN and LNR were significant independent prognostic factors for 5-year RFS in the No PCRT group. In the PCRT group, only LNR category was found to be associated with RFS (HR = 2.36, 95%CI: 1.31-3.84, and P = 0.001).
CONCLUSION: The LNR is an important prognostic predictor of RFS in rectal cancer patients especially treated with PCRT. Current pN categories could not discriminate between prognostic groups of RFS after PCRT.
Core tip: The number of metastatic lymph node might show different prognosis according to the number of examined lymph node. Retrieved number of lymph node after preoperative chemoradiotherapy (PCRT) has been known fewer than those without PCRT. However, number of metastatic lymph nodes used in pathologic staging was same between patients treated with PCRT and those without PCRT. The present study suggests the metastatic lymph node ratio would be useful prognostic indicator and it is more prominent in patients treated with PCRT.