Relationship between pathologic T-stage and nodal metastasis after preoperative chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.

Background: We investigated the relationship between pathologic T-stage and mesorectal metastases after preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for clinical stage II to III rectal carcinoma.

Methods: The records of consecutive patients with clinical stage II to III carcinoma of the mid or low rectum who underwent surgery after CRT were reviewed. Indications for preoperative CRT were cancer up to 11 cm from the anal verge, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 2, age 18 to 75 years, and clinical tumor-node-metastasis stage II or III.