Purpose We assessed the oncologic and anastomotic benefits of low ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) with additional lymph node (LN) retrieval. Methods We performed a retrospective case-control study between January 2011 and July 2015. All patients underwent curative resection of a primary sigmoid or rectal tumor. We excluded patients with distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. The case group included patients who underwent high ligation of the IMA (high group, HG). The control group included patients who underwent low ligation of the IMA with low group with additional LN retrieval (LGAL). Controls were identified by matching patients based on age (±5 years), sex, tumor location, and final histopathological stage. Finally, each group included 97 patients. Results Clinical characteristics did not significantly differ between groups. The mean number of additional harvested LN was 2.19 (range, 0–11), and one patient in the LGAL had a metastatic LN among the additional harvested LN. The overall morbidity was 22.7% in the HG and 30% in the LGAL (P = 0.257). Anastomotic leakage occurred in 14 patients (14.4%) in the HG and 5 patients (5.2%) in the LGAL (P = 0.030). The mean disease-free survival time in the HG was longer than that in the LGAL (P = 0.008). The mean overall survival (OS) time was 70.4 ± 1.3 months. The mean OS was 63.7 ± 1.6 months in the HG and 69.1 ± 2.6 months in the LGAL (P = 0.386). Conclusion Low ligation of the IMA with additional LN retrieval is technically safe. However, the oncologic effect was better after high ligation of IMA.

Background: This study was conducted to investigate preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. Methods: Between January 2000 and July 2011, 1298 patients with primary adenocarcinoma colorectal cancer without metastasis, who underwent curative resection were retrospectively identified. The patients were divided into two groups according to serum CEA level at primary diagnosis: a high CEA (HCEA) group (serum CEA ≥6 ng/mL) and a normal CEA (NCEA) group (serum CEA <6 ng/mL). A 1:1 propensity score matching analysis was applied to reduce bias. Finally, 364 patients were enrolled in this study. Matched variables were age, gender, preoperative chemoradiotherapy, tumor site, cell differentiation and pathologic stage. Results:The clinicopathological characteristics of the two groups did not differ significantly difference. The systemic metastasis rate was 16.5% (30/182) and 25.3% (46/182) in the NCEA and HCEA groups, respectively (p=0.039). There were no significant differences in local recurrence or metastatic sites between groups. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate of the HCEA group was worse than that of the NCEA group; however, there was no significant difference in overall survival between the two groups. Conclusion: Elevated preoperative CEA was related to frequent systemic recurrence and low DFS. Therefore, elevated preoperative CEA could be considered a prognostic factor for worse clinical outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer.