Eur J Surg Oncol 2022 Apr 29. Epub 2022 Apr 29.
Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Background: Standard Western management of rectal cancers with pre-treatment metastatic lateral lymph nodes (LLNs) is neoadjuvant (chemo)radiotherapy (nCRT) followed by total mesorectal excision (TME). In recent years, there is growing interest in performing an additional lateral lymph node dissection (LLND). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate long-term oncological outcomes of nCRT followed by TME with or without LLND in patients with pre-treatment metastatic LLNs. Read More