The Relationship between the Number of Metastatic Lymph Nodes and Prognosis of Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

We examined the relationship between the number of metastatic lymph nodes and prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer. One hundred patients with histologically proven lymph node metastasis and depth of wall invasion of ss (a₁) or s (a₂) underwent curative surgery for colorectal cancer in our department between 1977 and 1989. The 5-year survival rates for patients with 1, 2, 3 and 4 or more metastatic nodes were 56%, 63%, 34%, 35% respectively. Based on the above result, the patients were divided into 2 groups, those with 1 or 2 metastatic lymph nodes and those with 3 or more nodes, and the 5-year survival rates of the two groups were compared. The rate was 59% in the first group and 35% in the second, the difference being statistically significant. When the 5-year survival rate was calculated for patients with 1-3 metastatic lymph nodes and those with 4 or more nodes according to the TNM classification by the UICC, it was 54% in the first group and 35% in the second, but the difference was not significant. It appears likely that the classification of cases by 1 or 2 metastatic lymph nodes and 3 or more nodes is more useful for predicting the prognosis for patients with colorectal cancer.