Early Lymph Node Metastasis in T1/2 Stage Colorectal Cancer: Molecular and Clinical Insights

Early Lymph Node Metastasis in T1/2 Stage Colorectal Cancer: Molecular and Clinical Insights

The prognostic implications of lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer patients at an early stage, specifically T1/2 stage, are relatively unfavorable. Therefore, understanding the clinical and molecular traits relevant to metastasis in T1/2 stage are of substantial clinical importance.

Patients were classified based on their lymph node staging, with an ancillary categorization into MSI-H and MSS subgroups. A comparative mutational study was performed among these groups, incorporating risk stratification and Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis, with the aim of discerning the predictability of clinical features integrated with molecular characteristics for early metastasis in T1/2 stage colorectal cancer.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men and women aged 18-75 years old;
• Clinical staged T2;
• Histologically proven colon or rectal adenocarcinoma.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients over 80 years of age;
• Recurrent colorectal cancer;
• Multiple primary tumors;
• Distant metastasis.