Functional and Oncologic Outcome of Coloanal Anastomosis in Low Lying Rectal Cancer

PURPOSE: Sphincter preservation is one of the main goal in the treatment of rectal cancer, but surgical management of cancer of the lower third of the rectum continues to evolve. The aim of this study was to evaluate the oncologic safety and to assess the functional results of coloanal anastomosis following ultra low anterior resection (CAA/ uLAR) in distal rectal cancer. METHODS: Thirty-six patients underwent coloanal anastomosis following ultralow anterior resection between January 2000 and February 2005. Main operative techniques were total mesorectal excision with autonomic nerve preservation. Colonic J pouch was made 6 cm in length. All patients were followed up for fecal incontinence and frequency of bowel movement after diverting ileostomy closure. All patients were evaluated for local or systemic recurrences. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 58.7 (34~82) years. The median follow-up period was 24.5 (6~55) months. The types of anastomosis were straight anastomosis (n=25), colonic J pouch formation (n=10) and coloplasty (n=1). The twenty-nine patients of thirty-one patients underwent diverting ileostomy were performed ileostomy repair. The twenty-two patients had frequency after ileostomy repair. There is no statistical correlation of reservoir type and frequency (P=0.604). But the relationship between adjuvant radiation and frequency is statistically correlated (P=0.012). Postoperative complications were anastomotic leakage (n=5), but mostly radiological minor leakage, transient paralytic ileus (n=2), and anastomotic stenosis (n=1). The local recurrence rate is 3% and systemic recurrence occurred in 5 patients (14%), most patients were in Astler-Coller stage C. CONCLUSIONS: Ultralow anterior resection and coloanal anastomosis in low lying rectal cancer did not seem to affect recurrence. This procedure has poor functional outcome in early period but normal continence and acceptable frequency of bowel movements can be obtained at 1 year after operation.

Effects of Preoperative Radiotherapy for T2, T3 Distal Rectal Cancer / 대한방사선종양학회지

PURPOSE: Preoperative radiotherapy has been used to induce tumor regression and allow complete resection of rectal cancer with a sphincter preservation surgery. This study was performed to determine the effectiveness of preoperative radiotherapy for T2, T3 distal rectal carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From November 1995 to June 1997, fifteen patients with invasive distal rectal cancer were treated with preoperative radiotherapy followed by sphincter preservation surgery. Classification by preoperative T stage consisted of 7 T2 and 8 T3 tumors. Radiation therapy was delivered with 6 MV and 15 MV linear accelerator, at 1.8 Gy fractions for 5 days per week. Total radiation doses were 45 Gy to 50.4 Gy (median : 50.4 Gy). Sphincter preservation surgery was performed 4~6 weeks after the completion of radiotherapy. Median follow-up was 22 months (range : 16~37 months). RESULTS: One patient (6.7%) had a complete pathologic response. Comparing the stage at the diagnostic workup with the pathologic stage, tumor downstaging of T stages occurred in 11 of 15 patients (73.3%) and N1 stages occurred in 2 of 5 patients (40%). No patient developed progressive disease undergoing treatment. Two patients suffered local recurrence at 7 and 20 months, and one a distant metastasis at 30 months. No grade 3 or 4 toxicity was observed. CONCLUSION: Our experience suggests that preoperative radiotherapy followed by sphincter preservation surgery is well tolerated, and can significantly reduce the tumor burden for T2, T3 distal rectal cancer.

Selective Approach to Sphincter-Saving Procedure after Chemoradiation in Low Rectal Cancer

PURPOSE: The conventional surgical treatment for patients with potentially curable low rectal cancer is abdominoperineal resection. Recently there has been increasing interest in the use of preoperative radiation therapy and sphincter-saving procedure as primary therapy for selected low rectal cancers. We report our institutional experience with this approach. METHODS: From 1995 to 1997, Twelve patients with resectable distal rectal cancer were offered sphincter-saving procedure, excluding the patients whose pretreatment tumor presentation demonstrated fixation to anal sphincter or puborectalis muscle. The distance from the anal verge to the distal tumor margin at initial diagnosis ranged from 1 to 5 cm. Patients received a median 50.4 Gy and chemotherapy Surgery was carried out 4 to 8 weeks after radiation. RESULTS: No patient had toxic reaction that required interruption of chemoradiation. Four patients (33%) had complete pathologic response, but one patient with complete clinical response had residual cancer. Seven patients underwent hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis and five patients transanal excision en bloc. All patients were able to successfully undergo a sphincter-saving procedure. With a mean follow-up of 23 months (range, 6~32), the authors noted no recurrence or complication. Sphincter function was good in 92%. Daily bowel movements was two (range, 1~10). CONCLUSION: Preoperative chemoradiation appears promising in terms of better patient compliance, lesser toxicity, and downstaging tumor, making the sphincter-saving procedure feasible in carefully selected cases. Surgical resection remains essential to confirm and to achieve complete clinical remission. The results of preoperative chemoradiation and sphinctersaving procedure are encouraging, but more experience is needed to determine whether this approach ultimately has similar local control and survival rate compared to standard surgery.