title: Extracapsular invasion as a risk factor for disease recurrence in colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the presence of extracapsular invasion (ECI) in positive nodes as a predictor of disease recurrence disease in colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and twenty-eight consecutive patients who underwent colorectal resection were identified for inclusion in this study, of which 46 had positive lymph nodes. Among 46 cases with stage IIIcolorectal cancer, 16 had ECI at positive nodes and 8 had disease recurrence. The clinical and pathological features of these cases were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the univariate analysis, the number of positive lymph nodes and depth of tumor invasion were significantly associated with the presence of ECI at positive nodes. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only ECI was a predictor of recurrence. The recurrence-free interval differed significantly among patients with ECI at positive nodes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that ECI at metastatic nodes can identify which cases are at high risk of short-term disease recurrence in colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University, Gunma 371-8511, Japan. ftakaaki@med.gunma-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tabe
authors.forename: Reina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yajima
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Soichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asao
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuwano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors