Background and Objectives:
The prognosis of patients with inguinal lymph node metastases from rectal adenocarcinoma is poor. The purpose of this study is to analyze the clinical behavior and response to different therapies in a group of these patients.
Materials and Methods:
The medical records of 32 patients with inguinal lymph node metastases from rectal adenocarcinoma, diagnosed between January 1985 and December 1996, were retrospectively analyzed. The cohort was divided into: Group A (synchronous), and Group B (metachronous), according to the time of diagnosis. Results: There were 17 males and 15 females, with a mean age of 53.5 ± 13.8 years. Bilateral inguinal lymph node metastases were diagnosed in 17 patients, and unilateral in 15 patients. Fourteen of 18 patients in Group A (78%) and 13 of 14 patients (93%) in group B, respectively, had concomitantly extrapelvic metastatic disease. Seventeen patients in Group A treated with colostomy + chemoradiotherapy (45 Gy/20 fractions to the pelvis and groin area + 5-fluorouracil 450 mg/m 2 /weekly) had a progressive metastatic disease; the remaining patient was lost to follow-up after an abdominoperineal resection plus superficial groin dissection. Median survival was 8 months (range, 4-30 months). Overall 5-year survival was 0%. Ten patients in Group B were treated with chemoradiotherapy (50 Gy/25 fractions + 5-fluorouracil 450 mg/m 2 + leucovorin 30 mg/m 2 ); three patients received supportive care only, and one patient was treated with a groin dissection. All of them died of disseminated metastatic disease at a median of 13 months (range, 6-57 months). Overall 5-year survival was 0%.
Conclusion:
The presence of inguinal metastases in patients with rectal cancer heralds systemic disease and, due to a poor response to the different therapies, only palliative treatment should be indicated.