The Effect of Lymph Nodes’ Histologic Response on Survival Outcomes in Moroccan Patients with Rectal Cancer

Prognosis for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to elucidate possible association between therapeutic effect on lymph nodes (LNs) and patient prognosis. Overall, 149 patients with rectal cancer received preoperative radiotherapy in concomitance with chemotherapy or exclusive radiotherapy before rectal excision. Microscopic examination of formalin-fixed lymph nodes was assessed for therapeutic effect. The establishment of groups combined reaction tissue types of fibrosis, colloid, and necrosis after neoadjuvant treatment was assigned. The average age was 56.38 years, ranged between 22 and 88 years, 53% were female, and 47% were men, with a sex ratio of 1 : 12. In the present study, we noticed that after a median follow-up time of 40.67 months (0–83; SD: 21.1), overall survival was statistically significant depending on age groups. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed significant differences in the rate of patients with an age under 65 years (70.64%) versus those with an age over 85 years (36.5%) (p