There are significant differences between Japanese guidelines (JSCCR) and Western guidelines (NCCN, ESMO) in the treatment of low rectal cancer, especially in patients with regional lymph node metastasis. Japanese scholars advocated total meso rectal resection (TME) + Lateral lymph node dissection (LLND), However, European and American scholars advocate that only TME is used after new adjuvant chemo-radiation (nCRT), without LLND. Therefore, the purpose of this clinical trial was to directly compare the efficacy and safety of these two treatment strategies for low rectal cancer with regional lymph node metastasis. This will provide a high level of clinical evidence for the treatment of low rectal cancer with suspected local lymph node metastasis
Treatment for Low rectal cancer, especially in patients with regional lymph node metastasis are quite different between Japanese guideline (JSCCR) and western countries' guideline (NCCN, ESMO). While Japanese scholars advocate total mesorectal excision (TME) plus lateral lymph node dissection (LLND), European and American scholars advocate TME alone after Neoadjuvant Chemo-radiotherapy (nCRT), without the need of LLND. Accordingly, this clinical trial is designed to directly compare the efficacy and safety of these two treatment strategies for low rectal cancer with regional lymph node metastasis. It will provide high-level clinical evidence for the treatment of low rectal cancer with suspected local lymph node metastasis