title: Prognostic significance of the metastatic lymph node ratio for survival in colon cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The metastatic lymph node ratio (LNR) is defined as the number of metastatic lymph nodes divided by the total number of lymph nodes removed. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of the metastatic LNR in patients with colon cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred twenty-five patients with stage III colon cancer admitted to the Istanbul University Oncology Institute between 1995 and 2005 were retrospectively evaluated. The median LNR was 0.2, and this figure was accepted as cut-off value in the present study. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank test was used for intergroup comparisons. The significance level was put at p<0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 125 patients, 58 (46.4%) were males and 67 (53.6%) females with median age 57 years. The mean OS in patients with a LNR <0.2 was 120.5±7.3 months, with a LNR ≥0.2 was 92.8±9.0 months Although clinically significant, the difference between the groups was statistically insignificant (p=0.074). The mean duration of DFS in patients with a LNR <0.2 was 100.6±8.6 months and for those with a LNR ≥0.2 it was 71.7±8.3 months (p=0.017). The 5-year DFS rate in patients with a LNR ≥0.2 was 42.3%; it was 64.1% in those with LNR<0.2. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (p=0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The determination of the optimal cut-off value for the LNR in future prospective studies will help defining prognosis with better accuracy in colon cancer patients.
authors: Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Department of Medical Oncology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Tuna
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Dalkilic Calis
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Sakar
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Aykan
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Camlica
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Topuz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies