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Prognostic value of the lymph node ratio in node positive colon cancer

Academic Hospital of the Free University of Brussels, Oncology Centre, Brussels, Belgium

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor M De Ridder
Academic Hospital of the Free University of Brussels, Oncology Centre, Laarbeeklaan 101, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium; Mark.Deridder@az.vub.ac.be

Keywords: colon cancer; lymph node ratio; staging; surgery; prognostic factors

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Surgery is the primary treatment of non-metastatic colon cancer. En bloc removal of the colon with its associated mesenteric lymph nodes is essential. However, the number of lymph nodes reported with colectomy varies widely and may be a result of variation in the actual number of regional lymph nodes, surgical technique, or the thoroughness of the pathologist in finding lymph nodes. The number of lymph node metastases is an important negative prognostic factor and is used in stratification schemes for clinical trials.¹

Recent studies have emphasised the fact that examining a greater number of nodes increases the likelihood of correct staging and is associated with better survival, after controlling for the number of nodes involved.² Hence, the Will Rogers phenomenon may profoundly affect the reported outcome of colon cancer.³ Indeed, experienced teams often perform meticulous and extensive lymph node dissection, which increases the probability of finding nodes. This not only . . . [Full text of this article]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Wang, J. M. Hassett, M. T. Dayton, and M. N. Kulaylat Lymph Node Ratio: Role in the Staging of Node-Positive Colon Cancer Ann. Surg. Oncol., June 1, 2008; 15(6): 1600 - 1608. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]