Experience of ultralow anterior excision for rectal cancer: 508 cases analysis / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the operative techniques and postoperative effects of ultralow anterior excision for rectal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From October 1996 to October 2006, 508 cases with rectal carcinoma at or below the peritoneal reflection with potential to preserve the anal function were divided into two groups. Of the patients, 365 cases underwent ultralow anterior excision and instrumental anastomosis, and 143 cases underwent manual colon-anal anastomosis (Parks operation).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the group with anterior excision, the operations were all completed in the abdominal cavity, and avulsion of distal occlusive end occurred in 3 cases (0.9%), unsuccessful anastomosis happened in 2 cases (0.6%), unsatisfactory anastomosis with incomplete anastomosis circle turned out in 18 cases (5.6%). In the Parks operation group, the anastomosis was carried out manually at the anus and in abdominal cavity. Postoperative defecation function (times, soiling underwear, feeling of urgent defecation) in the group anterior excision was clearly better than that in the group of Parks operation (P < 0.05); difficulty of defecation (sense of residual stool, prolonging of defecation, cathartic usage) was also better in the group with anterior excision (P < 0.05). The anastomosis leakage rate was 3.5% in anterior excision group, compared to 5.6% in Parks operation group (P > 0.05). Anastomotic stenosis occurred in 77 cases (22.5%) in anterior excision group, and 40 cases (27.9%) in Parks operation group (P > 0.05). The local recurrence rate and 5-year survival rate were 11.8% and 68.8% in anterior excision group, and 10.1% and 66.8% in Parks operation group, respectively (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Although there is no significant differences in local recurrence and 5-year survival rate between the two groups, the function and difficulty of defecation with instrumental anastomosis demonstrates clear advantages over Parks operation.</p>

Expression of phosphatase of regeneration liver-3 in human colorectal carcinoma and its prognosis value / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of phosphatase of regeneration liver-3(PRL-3) protein and its relationship with tumor invasion and metastasis in human colorectal carcinoma,and elucidate prognostic value.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Immunohistochemistry method was applied to detect the PRL-3 expression in the primary tumor specimens and paired paratumor normal tissues from 46 colorectal carcinoma patients, the adenoma tissues from 6 patients with colorectal adenoma, all the metastatic lymph nodes from 29 cases and the metastatic liver lesions from 6 cases. The relationship between PRL-3 expression and clinicopathologic parameters was analyzed and a survival curve was achieved according to Kaplan-Meier method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No or weak PRL-3 protein expression was detected in normal colorectal mucosa and colorectal adenoma. In colorectal carcinoma tissues, PRL-3 expression was confirmed in 26 of 46 cases (56.5%) of primary colorectal carcinomas (with lymph node metastasis 63.0%, without lymph node metastasis 37.0%, P=0.001), 26 of 29 (89.7%) lymph node metastases, and 5 of 6 liver metastases. The expression of PRL-3 was assembled in the cytoplasm of carcinoma cells and more intensively on the cell membrane.Analysis of the relationship between PRL-3 expression and the clinicopathologic features showed that PRL-3 expression was closely associated with tumor stage (P=0.019), lymph node metastasis (P=0.026), but no relationship with age, sex, tumor size, degree of differentiation was founded (P<0.05). The mean follow-up time was 41.4 months and results showed that patients with positive expression of PRL-3 had a significantly poorer prognosis than those with negative PRL-3 expression group(P=0.032).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PRL-3 protein plays a novel role in tumor progression and metastasis of colorectal carcinoma. PRL-3 can be expected to be a potential predictive biomarker for identifying the prognosis in colorectal carcinoma patients.</p>

Study with large slice technique and tissue microarray on lymph node involvement and micro-metastasis of rectal cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study lymph node involvement and micro-metastasis of rectal cancer with large slice technique and tissue microarray.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Large slice technique, combined with tissue microarray,was used in pathologic study of 31 patients after total mesorectal excision (TME) for rectal cancer.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Nine hundred and ninety- two lymph nodes were harvested and 148 were positive. More than 40% of positive lymph nodes were located in the outer layer of the mesorectum and in the same side of the mesorectum as the primary tumor was. Circumferential margin involvement was observed in 12 cases and correlated with the numbers of metastatic lymph nodes (Beta =1.166, P=0.041). Micrometastasis was found in 9 cases with negative pathological lymph nodes, but not correlated with tumor differentiation and stage (P> 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Large slice technique combined with tissue microarray facilitates the detection of lymph node involvement and micrometastasis. There is a predominance of lymph node metastasis in the outer layer and the same side of the mesorectum. Micrometastasis can be discovered in different stages of rectal cancer.</p>