Time pattern and prognostic evaluation of the recurrence of rectal cancer after resection / 中华外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the regular pattern and prognostic evaluation of patients with recurrent rectal cancer after resection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three hundred and fourteen cases with recurrent rectal cancer after resection treated between May 1979 and November 2006 were classified into three groups according to the recurrence intervals (<3 years, 3-5 years, >5 years). The survival rates and prognosis in the three groups were analyzed and compared retrospectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 314 patients, the cancer relapsed in 247 cases (78.7%) in less than 3 years, and the recurrence occurred predominantly within 2 years (207 cases, 65.9%) after the operation. The neoplasm in 41 cases (13.3%) recurred in 3-5 years after the operation, and 26 cases (8. 3%) in more than 5 years after the resection. Disease-free interval, Dukes stage, neoplasm gross type, histological type, T stage, lymphatic and distant metastasis were associated with the prognosis on univariate analysis. And disease-free interval and tumor Dukes stage were independent prognostic factors for survival rate on multivariate analysis. Disease-free interval and progression-free survival were related positively with survival time.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The rectal cancer patients should be followed-up intensively for 2 years after the operation and moderately from then on. Disease-free interval and progression-free survival could be taken as the best predictors of long-term cure and prognosis.</p>