Multivisceral resection of locally advanced colorectal cancer in an African referral centre.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is common and often presents with advanced disease in Africa. Multivisceral resection (MVR) improves survival in locally advanced (T4b) CRC. The aim was to describe the management and outcomes of patients with clinical T4b CRC without metastatic disease who underwent MVR. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with T4 CRC who underwent MVR between January 2008 and December 2013. RESULTS: Four hundred and ninety-four patients were included. Of the 158 with suspected T4 cancer, 44 had MVR, of which one was excluded due to metastases. The mean age was 64 years. The male to female ratio was 1:1. The most commonly resected extra-colorectal structure was the abdominal wall (21%). The median survival was 68 months (SD 13.9). The 5-year disease free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 46% and 55%, respectively. Survival of patients with colon and rectum cancer was similar. Intraoperative tumour spillage, vascular/perineural invasion, and anastomotic leakage were independent predictors of survival. CONCLUSION: Multivisceral resection of locally advanced (T4b) CRC is feasible in the African context. Complete resection improves survival and should be the goal.

Requiem for Nigro or is anal squamous carcinoma still a surgical problem: abdominoperineal excision rather than a defunctioning stoma?

Background: Combined multimodal treatment (CMT) is the preferred treatment for anal squamous carcinoma with radical surgery reserved for treatment failure. Some patients require a defunctioning stoma prior to CMT. Successful closure of such a stoma is unlikely. Abdominoperineal excision (APE) may be suitable as primary treatment in these patients.Objectives: To evaluate organ preservation in the treatment of anal squamous cancer and the closure rate of pre-treatment, temporary diverting colostomy, thereby assessing whether APE could be offered as primary treatment in those requiring a pre-treatment colostomy.Methods: A retrospective review of all patients with anal squamous carcinoma was undertaken. Patients who required defunctioning colostomies prior to CMT were analysed for potential resectability of tumour prior to CMT and rate of permanent stoma.Results: One hundred and twenty-five patients were included of which 58 were males. The mean age was 56 years. 107 were treated with curative intent. Six received primary APE and 12 salvage APE. Thirty (22 males) required pre-treatment diverting colostomies. Three (10%) stomas were successfully reversed. Forty-eight (38%) of the 125 completed treatment with a permanent colostomy. Six patients who needed a stoma prior to CMT were deemed resectable.Conclusion: Organ preservation was not possible in about a third of patients. Defunctioning stomas prior to CMT were likely to be permanent. We propose that APE could be considered as an alternative in selective cases where the tumour is resectable with low morbidity and a stoma is indicated