Clinical and ultrasound features correlated with a heavy axillary nodal tumor burden in colon cancer.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the pathologic and ultrasound (US) characteristics of colon cancer and the heavy axillary nodal burden.

Methods

In total, 631 patients diagnosed with invasive colon cancer were recruited with ethical ratification.

Results

The unitary pathologic features correlated with heavy axillary lymph nodal burden included the age of patient (p = 0.035), tumor size (p = 0.001), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.020) and pathology type (p = 0.012). The independent US characteristics correlated with heavy axillary nodal burden included posterior acoustic enhancement (p = 0.006). Heavy axillary nodal burden was correlated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, lymphovascular invasion and pathology type.

Conclusion

Tumor size, lymph node metastasis and posterior acoustic can be used to predict the axillary lymph node tumor burden.