Background: proper rectal cancer staging is a vital step in management and prognosis of the disease depending on the tumour, nodal state and distant metastasis (TNM). Sufficient number of lymph nodes detected in postoperative TME specimen is a corner stone in staging. Lymph node number detected should not be less than 12 lymph nodes. Material and methods: 37 Egyptian patients diagnosed to have rectal carcinoma included in a retrospective study. 28 patients received neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy while the remaining 9 cases did not. Total mesorectal excision was done by the same colorectal surgeon. The specimens of TME were examined to retrieve the lymph nodes. Results: lymph nodes harvested in the neoadjuvant group, maximum number was 23, minimum number was 1 while the median was 7. The group did not receive neoadjuvant therapy, maximum number was 34, minimum number was 11 while the median was 11. The P value was statistical significant less than 0.000. Conclusion: lymph nodes number detected in TME specimen post neoadjuvant rectal cancer decreased markedly so it is not the standard number of LN (12). A new staging system should be developed for the prognosis. Key words: Rectal carcinoma, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, lymph nodes and total mesorectal excision.