Transanal local excision of selected low rectal cancers

ABSTRACT

To determine if transanal local excision [TALE] of selected early low rectal cancer is an effective alternative to more radical resection and to determine the need for adjuvant radiotherapy in patients, a retrospective analysis of eight cases over a period of six years was done. Local recurrence occurred in one of three T1 cases, two of five T2 cases. Two of the patients with local recurrence did not receive irradiation while one has received. Two of them had salvage resection and one is alive with no evidence of disease at 21 months post-salvage. Recurrence-free survival at five years was 80% in the irradiated patients and 48% in the unirradiated. Transanal local excision of selected low rectal cancers combined with adjuvant radiotherapy results in low recurrence rate and is, therefore, an effective alternative to more radical resection