Treatment Strategy for Rectal Cancer Patients With Inguinal Lymph Node Metastasis

Anticancer Res. 2019 Oct;39(10):5767-5772. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.13779.

Abstract

Background/aim: To investigate the impact of inguinal lymph node dissection (ILND) following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) for rectal cancer patients with ILN metastasis.

Patients and methods: Forty-three patients with rectal cancer underwent NACRT followed by curative surgery between January 2005 and December 2016. Seven patients underwent ILND after NACRT for clinically-positive ILN metastasis (ILND (+) group), while the remaining 36 did not receive ILND for clinically negative ILN metastasis (ILND (-) group). Their outcomes were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: Only one patient in the ILND (+) group had a local recurrence at six years after surgery. The 5-year recurrence-free survival was 100% and 65.4% in the ILND (+) and ILND (-) groups, respectively (p=0.09), and the 5-year overall survival was 100% and 83.2%, respectively (p=0.32).

Conclusion: ILND following NACRT seems effective for rectal cancer patients with ILN metastasis.

Keywords: Inguinal lymph node; NACRT; Rectal cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biopsy / methods
  • Chemoradiotherapy / methods
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inguinal Canal / pathology*
  • Lymph Node Excision / methods
  • Lymph Nodes / drug effects*
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology*
  • Lymphatic Metastasis / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoadjuvant Therapy / methods
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / drug therapy
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Rectal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Rectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Rectal Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Retrospective Studies