Wim P CEELEN, MD, PhD, FACS, is an academic surgical oncologist who is active in clinical, translational, and preclinical research. He has an active interest in the role and pathophysiology of lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer and has published in this field intensively. Dr Ceelen has previously edited two volumes on peritoneal metastasis and intraperitoneal drug delivery. He has coauthored over 200 scientific publications to date.

• Part A. Basic concepts1. Anatomy and embryology of the lymphatic system of the colon and rectum2. The premetastatic niche in colorectal cancer lymphatic metastasis3. Genetic drivers of lymphatic spread in colorectal cancer4. Evolution and biogeographical spread of colorectal cancer5. Immunology of the normal and cancer-invaded lymphatic system in CRC6. Biomechanical aspects of lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis7. Mathematical models of normal and cancer-associated lymphangiogenesisPart B. Pathology and Imaging8. Pathological assessment of the lymph nodes in colorectal cancer9. Lymph node classification in colorectal cancer: TNM versus the Japanese system10. Prognostic significance of the lymph node ratio in colon and rectal cancer11. Tumor deposits in colorectal cancer12. Detection and significance of micro-metastases in colorectal lymph nodes13. Patterns of lymph node metastasis in rectal cancer14. Imaging of nodal disease in colon and rectal cancerPart C. Treatment15. Complete mesocolic excision in colon cancer16. Japanese D3 dissection in colon cancer17. Lateral lymph node dissection in rectal cancer18. Neoadjuvant therapy and nodal recurrence in rectal cancer19. Management of extra-mesenteric and para-aortic nodal disease in colon cancer20. Fluorescence guided sentinel node detection in colorectal cancer surgery21. Systemic treatment for node positive colorectal cancer22. Radiotherapy for nodal disease in colorectal cancer