Preoperative chemoradiotherapy reduces the lymph node yield in rectal cancer. The number of retrieved lymph nodes is affected by degree of histopathologic response of the tumor to chemoradiation. Thus, number of lymph nodes should not be used as a surrogate for oncologic adequacy of resection after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer.

-Background -Angiogenesis is a crucial step in tumor growth and progression. Its quantification by microvessel counting has a prognostic value in several types of malignancies and recently has been appraised in gastrointestinal tumors. Aim -To assess the prognostisc significance of microvessel quantification in colorectal carcinomas, studying its association with hematogenous metastases, survival and clinicopathological variables such as size, histologic differentiation and depth of tumoral invasion. Patients/Methods -Forty eight patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma were included in this study. Histologic sections of invasion tumoral margin (4 µm) were analyzed and endothellined microvessels were immunostained with monoclonal mouse Von Willebrand Factor (anti-FVIII). The microvessel count was performed from the identification of the area with increased microvessel density -hot spots -and results of the mean in five of these fields. Results -The cut-off microvessel count was 14 microvessels/0,785 mm 2 , which divided the sample into hypovascular and hypervascular groups. While 2/8 (25%) tumors with muscularis propria invasion were classified as hypervascular, 11/15 (73%) tumors with serosa or perivisceral fat were classified as hypervascular. However, a non-significant statistical association was found between the angiogenesis quantification, hematogenous metastases, survival and clinicopathological variables such as size and histologic differentiation of the tumor. Conclusions -The findings of significantly increase of microvessel count in conformity with tumoral invasion depth supports the hypothesis that tumor progression might be related to angiogenesis. Although angiogenesis is an important step in the tumoral growth and during the metastatization process, other factors can be implicated.

-Context -Management of complex anal fistulas is associated with the risk of sphincter injury and fecal incontinence.In recent years, fibrin glue has emerged as an alternative sphincter-preserving treatment for anal fistulas. To date, however, there is no consensus about the efficacy of the method. Objective -To specifically evaluate the fibrin glue injection in the management of complex cryptoglandular anal fistulas. Methods -We studied a series of patients with complex anal fistulas treated with fibrin glue between January 2005 and January 2007. Only patients with fistulas of cryptoglandular origin were analyzed. Patients with fistulas related to Crohn's disease, HIV or previous surgery were excluded from the study. Under spinal anesthesia, the fistulas were curetted and injected with fibrin glue. After treatment, patients were followed-up for 12 months. Results -Thirty-two patients were enrolled in the study. Two patients were lost to follow-up and were excluded. Out of the remaining 30 patients, only three healed successfully (10%). Among the 27 patients who failed to heal, 9 (33.3%) were diagnosed within the first postoperative month. In 13 patients (48.1%) the failure of treatment occurred in the period between 1 and 3 months, in 3 patients (11.1%) between 3 and 6 months, and in 2 patients (7.4%) between 6 and 9 months after surgery. No treatment-related complications were observed. Conclusions -In this series, fibrin glue treatment for complex cryptoglandular anal fistulas achieved a very low healing rate. Our results do not support the use of fibrin glue as a first-line treatment for patients with this type of fistula. HEADINGS -Rectal fistula. Fibrin tissue adhesive. Tissue adhesives.