Complete pathological response in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy - case report

A fifty-four year old woman underwent colonoscopy due to symptoms of altered bowel habit and weight loss. There was a malignant looking lesion at her rectosigmoid junction [Fig. 1a] which was confirmed histologically to be a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. Although the blood results were normal, her CT scan and MRI [Fig 2a] showed an apple core lesion at rectosigmoid junction which was deemed to be Stage IIIC (T4aN2aM0)

Digital Rectal Examination for Prostate and Rectal Tumour: Knowledge and Experience of Final Year Medical Students

BACKGROUND: It is most pertinent that medical students are taught the necessary skills for digital rectal examination (DRE) before they become doctors. OBJECTIVE: The study is to assess the knowledge and experience of final year medical students regarding DRE for prostate and rectal tumours. METHODS: Well-structured questionnaire were administered to each of the final year medical students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology a week to their final examinations. RESULTS: Response was received from 127 (60) of the students; 124 (97.6) agreed that they have been taught DRE. Most of the students; 102 (80.3); have done one to five DRE; three (2.4) and have never performed DRE while none of the students have done more than ten DRE. Only in 49 (38.6) of cases were the findings of the students on DRE always confirmed by a doctor. Nine students (7.1) have never felt a clinical BPH and none had felt it more than five times. Sixtysix (52.0) have never felt a malignant prostate and none of the students have felt it up to three times. Most of the students; 106 (83.5); have never felt a rectal tumour on DRE Only five (3.9) felt very confident of their ability to give an opinion based on their findings on DRE while 105 (82.7) felt reasonably confident CONCLUSIONS: The students have been taught DRE and a good number of them have performed it. Few of the DRE done by the students were cross-checked by a doctor. Most of the students have problems differentiating BPH from cancer of the prostate and many of them were not very confident of their findings on DRE

Cancer du rectum : a propos de 67 cas

Les auteurs ont collige en 15 ans 67 cancers rectaux qui ont represente 15;37 pour cent des cancers digestifs. La tumeur a siege 42 fois (62;69 pour cent) dans l'ampoule rectale; 19 fois (28;36 pour cent) dans le canal anal et 6 fois (8;95 pour cent) dans le rectosigmoide. Les adenocarcinomes ont ete representes dans 78;04 pour cent des cas; les carcinomes epidermoides dans 9;76 pour cent des cas; les carcinomes coloides dans 7;32 pour cent des cas; les carcinomes anaplasiques dans 4;87 pour cent des cas. 24 malades ont ete operes. La classification TNM a revele 70;85 pour cent de stades III + IV. Le taux de resection a visee curative a ete de 54;16 pour cent. Le taux de morbidite et de mortalite ont ete respectivement de 16;66 pour cent et de 12;50 pour cent. Pour les patients ayant subi une chirurgie curative; 30;76 pour cent ont eu une recidive locale et 33;33 pour cent ont survecu a cinq ans