This study was carried out from April 1999 till April 2003, and included 30 patients with resectable adeno-carcinoma of the rectum (group A) . This group of patients underwent surgical resection in the form of conventional resection with en bloc abdomino-pelvic lymphadenectomy and the incidence and pattern of lymph node metastasis in the pelvic and aortic nodes were studied as well as its effects on disease free survival and overall survival.