Is the routine dissection of lateral lymph nodes really necessary after mesorectal excision for clinical stageII/III lower rectal cancer?
We have read with extremely interest the article of Fujita
et al. “Mesorectal Excision With or Without Lateral
Lymph Node Dissection for Clinical Stage II/III Lower
Rectal Cancer (JCOG0212) A Multicenter, Randomized
Controlled, Noninferiority Trial” published on Annals of
Surgery.
The guidelines of Japanese Society for Cancer of the
Colon and Rectum (JSCCR) for the treatment of colorectal
cancer recommend lateral lymph node dissection (LLND)
for clinical Stage II/III Lower Rectal: “Lateral lymph node