title: Rectal cancer surgery and regional lymph nodes.
abstract: In patients with rectal cancer, the status of regional or mesorectal lymph nodes is central to both tumor staging and predicting local and distant recurrence. The importance of mesorectal lymph nodes in rectal cancer should inform treatment decisions around pre-operative diagnostic imaging, surgical techniques, pathologic assessment, and the use of radiation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Surgery and Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. marko.simunovic@jcc.hhsc.ca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simunovic
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Heald
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*