Analysis of characteristics of lymph node metastasis on 135 patients with low rectal cancer undergoing laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection was performed. Number of harvested lymph nodes is 1977. Mean age 55.3
69 male (51.1 percent), 66 female (48.9 percent). There were 48 patients with preoperative radiotherapy (35.55 percent), 87 patients without preoperative radiotherapy (64.45 percent). The overall rate of lymph node metastasis is) 31.11 percent. Metastasis rate of 1 lymph node station (near tumor) was 14.1 percent, 2 lymph node stations (near tumor and mesentery of rectum) is 9.6 percent, 3 stations (near tumor, mesentery of rectum and superior rectal artery) is 7.41 percent. According to AJCC: N1 17.78 percent
N2a 2.22 percent
N2b 11.11 percent. Lymph node metastasis rate of patients with preoperative radiotherapy was 18.8 percent lower than the group without preoperative radiotherapy (37.9 percent) (p0.05). Survival in groups with lymph node metastasis was 28.48 months, and without was 33.06 months (p 0.05).