Purpose: The minimum harvested 12 lymph nodes (LNs) is regarded as the limit for accurate staging of nodal status in colorectal cancer patients. Besides the association of the lengths of resected intestinal segments and vascular pedicles, the mesocolic mesenteric area’s impact on LN count has not been studied. We aimed to evaluate the associations between metric variables, including the mesocolic mesentery area on the nodal harvest. Methods: All consecutive patients who underwent elective colectomy with a curative intention for colon adenocarcinoma were prospectively included. The metric variables included the lengths of resected intestinal segments, vascular pedicle, and colonic mesenteric area. The variables influencing the LN count and the correlation between the total LN count and the specimens’ relevant metric measurements were analyzed. Results: There were 46 patients with a median age of 64 years. The median count for total LNs was 22, and the LN positivity was 59.2%. There was an inadequate LN yield (<12) in 3 patients (6.1%). No significant associations were found between the adequacy of nodal harvest and the demographic, clinical, and tumoral features (P>0.05). There were significant positive correlations between total LN number and length of vascular pedicle and mesenteric area (r=0.576, P<0.001 and r=0.566, P<0.001). Conclusion The length of the vascular pedicle and mesenteric area were significantly correlated with total LN counts. Although there was no significant impact on the length of resected segments, the colonic mesenteric area can be used alone as a measure for the assessment of the nodal yield in colon cancer.

PURPOSE: Radiation proctitis (RP) is inflammation and damage to the rectum, manifested secondary to ionizing radiation utilized for treatment. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory therapeutical and protective effects of ruscogenin in a model of acute RP. METHODS: Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 8) as sham, control, treatment, and prophylaxis groups. Prophylaxis group and treatment group were dosed ruscogenin by oral gavage for 14 days pre- and postradiation. At the end of the 28th day, all subjects were sacrificed. RESULTS: Histopathological analysis showed a significant increase in cryptitis abscess, cryptitis and reactive atypia, and depth of lymphocytic infiltration of the control group, compared to the other groups (P < 0.05), while treatment and prophylaxis groups showed significant decreases (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that immunoreactivity were significantly higher in control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.001, and P < 0.01, respectively), but vice versa for treatment and prophylaxis groups. There was not any significant difference for fibroblast growth factor 2 immunoreactivity. The epithelium of control rectums indicated an increase in TNF-α immunoreactivity while other groups had significant decrease (P < 0.01). Electron microscopical findings were parallel to light microscopy. CONCLUSION: In this study, ruscogenin was observed to be effective on prophylaxis or treatment of acute RP. Although there are various reports on the treatment of the rectum damaged by acute RP in the literature, this could be the first study since there is no research indicating the ultrastructural effect of ruscogenin.
Abscess ; Animals ; Epithelium ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; Inflammation ; Microscopy ; Models, Animal* ; Proctitis* ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rectum ; Therapeutic Uses*