Patients and methods Study design and setting This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected and maintained database of patients with CRC admitted in the Oncology Center of Mansoura University (OCMU), the Colorectal Surgery Unit of Mansoura University Hospitals, and the Department of General Surgery of Alexandria University.~Selection criteria Patients of either gender aged 18 years or above who presented with rectal cancer of any stage will be included in the study. We will exclude patients with patients younger than 18 years; patients with synchronous colon cancer; synchronous liver, pulmonary or bones metastasis; or synchronous gastrointestinal cancer; or patients who were lost to follow-up.~Study endpoints The primary endpoint of the study is to assess the value of lymph node ratio (LNR) on the oncological outcomes.
This study aims to evaluate the value of the LNR as a prognostic indicator in patients with rectal cancer who offered total mesorectal excision.