With a significantly lower number of nodes harvested in rectal cancer , the positive effect of the intervention was particularly observed in the patients who underwent preoperative neoadjuvant radiotherapy [ median 30 nodes ( 12-57 ) vs. 11 ( 7-15 ) ; P = 0.011 ; proportion of cases with < 12 nodes 0/5 vs. 5/8 ( 62.5 % ) , P = 0.024 ] .