Lymphovascular Infiltration, Not Depth of Invasion, is the Critical Risk Factor of Metastases in Early Colorectal Cancer: Retrospective Population-based Cohort Study on Prospectively Collected Data, Including Validation.

This is a large study on LNM in T1 CRC, including validation, showing that LVI and perineural invasion, mucinous subtype, and low age constitute independent risk factors, whereas depth of submucosal invasion is not an independent risk factor of LNM. Thus, our findings provide a useful basis for management of patients after local excision of early CRC.