Manceau G, Margot N, Augustin J, et al. - Since it remains to be determined the clinical significance of the presence of sterilized lymph nodes (LNS) in ypN0 patients, researchers conducted this investigation to evaluate the prognostic value of LNS in ypN0 rectal cancers after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Two hundred thirty-five patients underwent TME surgery for non-metastatic mid-low rectal cancer after CRT from 2006–2016. When there were signs of treatment response (fibrosis, necrosis or mucus) without residual tumor cells, a lymph node was considered to be sterilized. One hundred eighty patients were classified ypN0 and 55 (23%) ypN+. Data reported that LNS was present in 20 patients. Five-year OS was comparable between patients with and without LNS in ypN0 patients. Conversely, in ypN0/LNS + patients, 5-year DFS was significantly lower and similar to those staged ypN+. Two factors were independent predictors of DFS in multivariate analysis: mesorectal grading and the presence of LNS. Findings suggested that the presence of LNS in ypN0 rectal cancer following neoadjuvant CRT was linked to an increased risk of recurrence and may be considered when discussing adjuvant chemotherapy.