Can we apply the concept of sentinel lymph node in rectal cancer surgery?

Colorectal cancer remains one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and lymph node staging is crucial in the diagnostic and therapeutic process. Sentinel lymph nodes are the first involved in this process, but their validity in colorectal surgery has not yet been established. Following the emergence of new imaging instrumentation, some authors have attempted to propose different techniques for lymph node identification. However, a clear pattern of mesorectal lymph node distribution relative to the primary lesion site has yet to be defined.