Lymph node retrieval in abdominoperineal surgical specimen is radiation time-dependent.

Background: A low yield of lymph nodes (LN) in abdominoperineal resection (APR) specimen has been associated with preoperative radiation therapy (XRT) in population-based studies, which may preclude adequate staging of anorectal carcinomas. We hypothesized that the number of LN retrieved in APR specimen was correlated with the dose and the timing of pelvic irradiation.

Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 102 patients who underwent APR in a single institution between 1980 and 2004.