D3 Lymph Node Dissection in Right Hemicolectomy with a No-touch Isolation Technique in Patients With Colon Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The role of lymph node dissection in the management of right-sided colon cancer remains controversial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the surgical treatment of curable right-sided colon cancer by using D3 lymphadenectomy with a no-touch isolation technique and to determine the extent of lymph node dissection optimal for the prognosis of right-sided colon cancer.

DESIGN: This research is a retrospective cohort study from a prospectively collected database.

SETTING: The investigation took place in a specialized colorectal surgery department.

PATIENTS: : Data on 370 consecutive patients who underwent D3 lymph node dissection for right-sided colon cancer with a no-touch isolation technique were identified.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The survival of patients with involvement of main nodes at the roots of colonic arterial trunks along superior mesenteric vessels through intermediate nodes in the right mesocolon was determined.

RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival of patients with stage I (n = 73, 19.7%), II (n = 155, 41.9%), and III (n = 142, 38.4%) cancer were 94.5%, 87.6%, and 79.2%. The 5-year disease-specific survival of patients with stages I, II, and III cancer were 100.0%, 94.5%, and 85.0%. Eleven patients (3.0%) had metastatic involvement of main lymph nodes, whereas 49 (13.2%) had metastases to intermediate lymph nodes. The 5-year overall survival and disease-specific survival of patients with metastases to main lymph nodes were 36.4% for both, and 5-year overall survival and disease-specific survival of patients with metastases to intermediate lymph nodes were 77.6% and 83.5%.

LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by its nonrandomized retrospective design.

CONCLUSIONS: D3 lymphadenectomy with a no-touch isolation technique allows curative resection and long-term survival in a cohort of patients with cancer of the right colon.