Rethinking Lateral Pelvic Node Metastasis in Advanced Rectal Cancer After Chemoradiotherapy

In the realm of advanced rectal cancer, the question of lateral pelvic node metastasis being regional or systemic sparks debate. A study dives in, revealing that after preoperative chemoradiotherapy, outcomes for lateral lymphatic metastasis mirror upward spread, challenging the Western perception of it as systemic. No survival disparities emerged between lateral node dissection and total mesorectal excision alone. The findings suggest lateral pelvic node metastasis might be more regional than previously thought, stirring the pot in rectal cancer treatment paradigms.