Prognostic value of lymph node micrometastasis in patients with colorectal cancer in Dukes stages A and B (T1-T4, N0, M0).
BACKGROUND
30% of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) in Dukes stages A and B (T1-T4, N0, M0) present tumor recurrence and die after 5 years follow up. This unexpectedly poor evolution might be attributable to the presence of lymph node micrometastasis undetected in routine examination with haematoxilin-eosine (H&E).


OBJECTIVE
To assess the presence of undetected micrometastasis.


METHODS
we conducted a retrospective study of the locoregional lymph nodes in 85 patients operated for CRC in Dukes stages A and B (T1-T4, N0, M0), using immunohistochemistry with anticytokeratin antibodies AE1/AE3. In this descriptive, inferential bivariant and survival study, we analyzed different risk factors, including local infiltration T1/T4, Dukes A/B, number of dissected lymph nodes, vascular invasion, micrometastasis, tumor recurrence and death in the context of the presence or absence of micrometastases.


RESULTS
Dukes stage and neoplastic angioinvasion are influential in patient prognosis; however, lymph node micrometastases were not associated with a poorer outcome of CRC.


CONCLUSIONS
Locorregional lymph node micrometastases detected with anticytokeratine antibodies AE1/AE3 in Dukes A and B CRC patients are not associated with reduced survival.
Uribarrena-Amezaga
Rafael
R
Service of Digestive Diseases, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain. uribarrenaa@hotmail.com
Ortego
J
J
Fuentes
J
J
Raventós
N
N
Parra
P
P
Uribarrena-Echevarría
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies