Analysis of lymph node metastasis and clinicopathological characteristics in rectal cancer        ZHAO Ze-liang, YANG Xin-hui, SUN Zhen-qiang, et al. Department of Abdomen Surgery, Affiliated Tumor Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830011, China
Corresponding author：WANG Hai-jiang, E-mail：wanghaijiang@medmail. com.cn
Abstract    Objective    To investigate the effect of clinicopathological characteristics on lymph node metastasis in rectal cancer. Methods    The clinicopathological data of 210 patients with rectal cancer performed operation between January 2007 and December 2009 in Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University were analyzed retrospectively. The risk factors of lymph node metastasis were evaluated. Results    The rate of lymph node metastasis in all patients was 30.5%. The clearance rate of positive lymph nods was 14.5%. The statistical analysis showed that there was no correlation between rectal cancer lymph node metastasis and gender, nationality, age, infiltration degree, CEA level, vessel tumor embolus, tumor size or site (P>0.05). The univariate analysis revealed that infiltration depth, tissue type, general categories and cell differentiation degree were related to the lymph node metastasis of rectal cancer. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that infiltration depth, general categories and cell differentiation degree were independent factors predicting rectal cancer lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The logistic regression analysis showed that in all the factors affecting on intensity of lymph node metastasis, cell differentiation degree was greater than infiltration depth, and there were significant differences between mass type and ulceration type as well as between mass type and infiltration type(P<0.05). Conclusion    General categories, cell differentiation degree, tissue type and infiltration depth can be used to evaluate the biological behaviors and lymph node metastasis of rectal cancer. And general categories, cell differentiation degree and infiltration depth are independent factors predicting rectal cancer lymph node metastasis. In the general types of rectal cancer, the risks of lymph node metastases in the types of mass, ulceration and infiltration are increased in turn.