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What Is the Role of Lateral Lymph Node Excision in Patients with Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Who Received Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy?

  • Localized Colorectal Cancer (R Glynne-Jones, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Colorectal Cancer Reports

Abstract

In the era of preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for rectal cancer, the role of lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLND) has become much more complicated because preoperative CRT affects both the lateral pelvic lymph nodes (LPLN) and the main tumor. Most previous studies do not demonstrate the benefits of LPLND following preoperative CRT in comparison with total mesorectal excision, although some authors have argued that selective LPLND is beneficial. LPLN treatment strategies differ depending on whether the disease was considered systemic metastatic disease or local disease which can be treated using surgical resection. The role of LPLND in rectal cancer is better evaluated on the basis of its oncologic impact rather than technical feasibility. Here, we review LPLN metastasis status in rectal cancer, whether LPLN metastasis is systemic or local disease, and studies on the use of LPLND to treat rectal cancer.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants (to Jin Cheon Kim) from the Asan Institute for Life Sciences (2014-69), the Korea Research Foundation (2013070986), Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning, the Korea Health 21 R&D Project (HI06C0868 and HI13C1750), and the Center for Development and Commercialization of Anti-Cancer Therapeutics (A102059), Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea.

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Conflict of Interest

In Ja Park and Jin Cheon Kim declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center, 86 Asanbyeongwon-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea

    In Ja Park & Jin Cheon Kim

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  1. In Ja Park
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Correspondence to Jin Cheon Kim.

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Park, I.J., Kim, J.C. What Is the Role of Lateral Lymph Node Excision in Patients with Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Who Received Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy?. Curr Colorectal Cancer Rep 10, 157–163 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11888-014-0212-y

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