Evaluating More Lymph Nodes May Not Improve Identification Of Late-stage Colorectal Cancer

Surgically removing and evaluating an increasing number of lymph nodes does not appear to identify a greater number of patients with stage III colorectal cancer, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, according to background information in the article. More than 80 percent of newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients will have locoregional disease (limited to a small region) and will be offered surgery that may cure their illness. The status of lymph nodes near the cancer has been recognized as the most powerful prognostic factor for recurrence and...