Long-term follow-up of the randomized trial of mesorectal excision with or without lateral lymph node dissection in rectal cancer (JCOG0212).
Shunsuke TsukamotoS FujitaM OtaJ MizusawaDai ShidaYukihide KanemitsuM ItoA ShiomiK KomoriM OhueY AkazaiM ShiozawaT YamaguchiH BandoA TsuchidaS OkamuraY AkagiN TakiguchiY SaidaT AkasuY Moriyanull nullPublished in: The British journal of surgery (2020)
Long-term follow-up data did not support the non-inferiority of ME alone compared with ME and LLND. ME with LLND is recommended for patients with clinical stage III disease, whereas LLND could be omitted in those with clinical stage II tumours.