Are the width, length, depth, and area of submucosal invasion predictive of lymph node metastasis in pT1 colorectal cancer?

Purpose: Submucosa-limited (pathological T1, pT1) colorectal cancers (CRCs) pose a continuing challenge in the choice of treatment options, which range from local excision to radical surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphometric and morphologic risk factors associated with regional lymph node metastasis (LNM) in pT1 CRC.

Methods: We performed a histological review of patients who underwent oncological resection between 2016 and 2022.