Lower lymph node yield following neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer has no clinical significance

Background: Obtaining 12 lymph nodes following resection for rectal cancer is an important prognostic marker. However, patients who have received neoadjuvant therapy are known to have a lower lymph node yield. We conducted this study to determine the clinical significance of evaluating Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients who received neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer between January 2008 and December 2014 followed by proctectomy was conducted. Results: In total, 217 patients were treated for rectal cancer. Mean follow-up was 23.4 (interquartile range, 9–40.5) months. Sixty-three (29.0%) patients received neoadjuvant therapy. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of patients with vs . 9.1%, P=0.001). Amongst the 63 patients who received neoadjuvant therapy, lymph node yield of ≥12 was not associated with a statistically significant difference in time to recurrence [hazard ratio (HR) 0.17; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.01–2.01, P=0.160] or time to death (HR 1.07; 0.15–7.90, P=0.946). Kaplan-Meier curves also did not show any significant difference between those with Conclusions: Although neoadjuvant therapy reduces the lymph node yield during surgery for locally advanced rectal cancer, this has no significance on the overall survival of the patient.