Feasibility, Indications, and Prognostic Significance of Selective Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection after Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy in Middle/Low Rectal Cancer: Results of a Multicenter Lateral Node Study in China.

Preoperative chemoradiotherapy combined with lateral pelvic lymph node dissection is a practicable procedure with acceptable morbidity. Post-chemoradiotherapy lateral pelvic lymph node short-axis diameter ≥7 mm and poor/signet/mucinous adenocarcinoma could be used for predicting lateral pelvic lymph node metastasis after chemoradiotherapy. However, lateral pelvic lymph node dissection should be carefully considered in patients with swollen lateral pelvic lymph nodes beyond the obturator or internal iliac region or involvement of multiple lateral pelvic lymph nodes. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/C133 .