Stage migration vs immunology: The lymph node count story in colon cancer

Table 8 Results of advanced pathological lymph node dissection techniques in colorectal cancers

First author	Year	n	Mean/median LN-Conv	Mean/median LN-Spec	N+ Konv	N+ Spec	T3/4 Konv	T3/4 Spec	Technique	P value
										N+ rates
Ratto	1999	801	11.4%	29.4%	30.2%	37.5%	76.9%	84.5%	Fixing Technique	< 0.05
Newell	2001	67	6.8%	10.2%	31%	46%	81%	85%	GEWF	NS
Kukreja	2009	701	12.8%	17.3%	36.9%	32.4%	65.8%	62.8%	Fat clearance	NS
Törnroos	2009	32	22%	61%	56.3%	37.5%	100%	100%	MB	NS
van Steenbergen	2010	170	11%	14%	42%	41%	80%	79%	mesent. Patent Blue Injection	ND
Frasson	2012	473	20.6%	37.1%/47.6%	38.9%	48%	80.9%	72%	MB	NS
Jepsen	2012	428	24%	37%	9.4%1	26.7%1	82%	81%	MB	0.040
Märkl	2013	1332	13%	34%	37%	37%	65%	63%	MB	ND
Kir	2014	180	21.5%	24.5%	28%	47.9%	91.6%	84.9%	MB	0.006
Borowski	2014	100	15%	23%	34%12	40%12	NA	NA	MB	NS
Iversen	2015	120	9.5%	16.5%	44%	36%	81%	71%	GEWF	NS

¹Subgroup of T1/2 cases;

²Based on the number of % Dukes C cases. LN-Conv.: Lymph node harvest of conventional dissected cases; LN–Spec: Lymph node harvest of cases using advanced techniques; NA: No data available; GEWF: Glacial acetic acid. ethanol. distilled water. formaldehyde; MB: Methylene blue assisted lymph node dissection; NS: Not significant; ND: No difference.