Prognostic Value of Examined Lymph Node Count in CRC

Higher examined lymph node (ELN) counts (≥17) in stage III colorectal cancer (CRC) patients correlate with improved long-term survival outcomes. ELN count independently predicts overall survival, cancer-specific survival, and progression-free survival. Subgroup analysis highlights benefits in patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy with medium to large ELN counts (≥12). Increased immune activation in the tumor microenvironment is observed in patients with higher ELN counts, emphasizing the dual prognostic and predictive value of ELNs in stage III CRC.