Abstract:
Objective To analyze the effect of body mass index (BMI) on the number of lymph nodes (LNs) harvested in patients who underwent colorectal cancer resection.
Methods A retrospective analysis of 328 patients with colorectal cancer who were treated at Fujian Provincial Hospital between December 2014 and January 2017 was conducted. All patients underwent colorectal cancer resection and were assigned into 2 groups: < 12-LN group and ≥ 12-LN group. Potential clinicopathological variables that might influence the number of LNs harvested were statistically analyzed.
Results Univariate analyses demonstrated that BMI (χ2=7.697, P=0.006), tumor location (χ2=7.900, P=0.048), and TNM stage (χ2=34.795, P < 0.01) affected the number of LNs harvested. Logistic regression analysis revealed that BMI of ≥ 25 kg/m2 and rectosigmoid location were associated with 2.557-and 1.731-fold increases in the number of LNs harvested, compared with BMI < 25 kg/m2 group and other tumor locations, respectively.
Conclusions Higher BMI may decrease the number of LNs harvested in patients who underwent colorectal cancer resection and could affect the postoperative pathological stage.