Post-Chemoradiation Metastatic, Persistent and Resistant Nodes in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: Metrics and Their Impact on Long-Term Outcome.

The presence of nodal metastases (ypN+) after neoadjuvant therapy containing long-course pelvic irradiation severely impacts the long-term outcome for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer and correlates with multiple clinical and therapeutic variable metrics. Implementation of local and systemic therapies should be adapted and intensified in relation to the finding of ypN+ category in surgical specimens.