Table 2.

Comparison of oncologic outcomes in the two groups of patients with mid-low rectal cancer

Outcome	Experimental group (n = 35)	Control group (n = 52)	P value
Number of removed LNsa	27 (28.2 ± 9.4)	22 (22.7 ± 7.3)	0.003
Number of LNs with diameter <5 mma	10 (10.1 ± 7.5)	5 (4.5 ± 3.7)	<0.001
Completeness of mesorectum (cases)			0.342
Yes	34	48
No	1	4
Distance between tumor and the CRM (mm)a	6.5 (5.8 ± 1.4)	4.0 (4.8 ± 1.1)	0.001

LN lymph node, CRM circumferential resection margin

^a Values are presented as median (mean ± standard deviation)