PURPOSE: For several decades, the low anterior resection (LAR) with total mesorectal excision (TME) has been the gold standard for treating patients with rectal cancer. Up to 90% of patients undergoing sphincter-preserving surgery will have changes in bowel habits, so-called 'anterior resection syndrome.' This study examined patients' continence after a LAR for the treatment of rectal cancer. METHODS: This prospective study was performed between September 2014 and August 2015 at the National Cancer Institute and included 30 patients who underwent anorectal manometry preoperatively and at 3 and 4 months after a LAR, but 10 were excluded from further evaluation for various reasons. Wexner score was recorded preoperatively and 4 months after LAR (1 month after ileostomy repair). RESULTS: Postoperatively, 70% of patients complained of some degree of soiling (incontinence to liquid stool), and 30% experienced urgent defecation. Four months after surgery, these symptoms had somewhat abated. The anal resting pressure and the maximum squeezing pressure did not change significantly. Rectal capacity and compliance were reduced in all patients. The majority of patients demonstrated manometric anorectal changes and clinical anorectal function disorders during the first 4 months after surgery. The Wexner scores and the manometric findings showed no correlation. CONCLUSION: Many patients undergoing a LAR with TME for the treatment of rectal cancer experience some degree of incontinence postoperatively. Anorectal manometry may be used as an additional tool for evaluating problems with continence after a LAR. No correlation between the Wexner score and the manometric findings was observed.
Compliance ; Defecation ; Humans ; Ileostomy ; Manometry* ; National Cancer Institute (U.S.) ; Prospective Studies ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Soil

INTRODUCTION: The use of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and total mesorectal excision (TME) has shown promising results in the management of locally advanced rectal carcinoma, and is associated with improvement in local control, disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). However, these clinical endpoints cannot be properly assessed due to poor follow up among many patients. Other endpoints such as negative circumferential resection margins (CRM), pathologic complete response (pCR) and sphincter-preserving surgery (SPS) may serve as indirect means of assessing successful treatment. This study reports the experience of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Colorectal Polyp and Cancer (CRPoCan) Study Group in using neoadjuvant CRT and TME in the management of locally advanced rectal carcinoma, towards quality care.
METHODS: The Integrated Surgical Information System (ISIS) database of the Department of Surgery, PGH was queried for rectal cancer patients with pretreatment clinical stage II and III disease that underwent neo-adjuvant CRT followed by TME between January 2008 and December 2009. The final surgical pathology reports of the subjects were reviewed for treatment response. Response was categorized as: (1) positive or negative CRM; and (2) with or without pCR. The study assessed whether SPS was done.
RESULTS: Of 140 potential neoadjuvant CRT patients followed by TME, 82 patients completed the treatment. Thirty two of the patients who completed treatment (39%) were eligible since the other 50 patients (61%) had no post-operative histopathology results. Among those eligible, 10 patients (31%) had pCR. Only 1 patient had a positive CRM. Of the 14 patients whose tumor distance was ?5cm from the anal verge, only 1 patient underwent SPS. The small sample size was mainly attributed to low resources or treatment. Non-availability of post-operative histopathology results was due to poor record keeping.
CONCLUSION: The PGH CRPoCan Study Group's use of neoadjuvant CRT followed by TME for locally advanced rectal carcinoma has resulted in acceptable numbers of pCR and clear CRM but has not translated into an increased number of SPS. Despite the limitations of the study, the institutionalization of the multidisciplinary team in the PGH CRPoCan Study Group and the implementation of the ISIS database program are considered the first steps towards quality health care.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy ; Total Mesorectal Excision ; Polyp ; Surgical Pathology ; Rectal Cancer

Anastomotic leak is a common and serious complication after anterior rectal resection. Despite the continuous advancement of anastomotic instruments and surgical techniques, the incidence of anastomotic leak has not decreased significantly compared with the past. As more studies on the early diagnosis of anastomotic leak are published, postoperative risk factors of anastomotic leak, such as fever, time to first bowel movement, CT, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT), matrix metalloproteinase-9, and other cytokines and biomarkers (IL-6, TNF-α, lactate, pH, urinary neopterin/creatinine ratio), provide a reference for surgeons to assess the risk and increase the possibility of early diagnosis of anastomotic leak. Nevertheless, preventing the occurrence of anastomotic leak is still the ultimate goal. For the prevention of anastomotic leak, intraoperative ICG fluorescence imaging technology provides a simple and safe objective method for surgeons to evaluate anastomotic perfusion. The diversion stoma may reduce the incidence of anastomotic leak. More and more evidence shows that drainage through the anal canal can reduce the incidence of anastomotic leak after rectal cancer, but whether different types of drainage catheters can clearly reduce the incidence of anastomotic leak still needs more evidence. In addition, there has not yet been a unified opinion on the retention time and location of the drainage catheter. At present, the research of anastomotic leak has not adopted a unified definition and the heterogeneity among related studies is still great. We still look forward to more high-quality multi-center large prospective and randomized controlled studies.
Anastomosis, Surgical ; Anastomotic Leak/prevention & control* ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Rectal Neoplasms/surgery* ; Rectum/surgery*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to look at our complication rates and recurrence rates, as well as the need for further radical surgery, in treating patients with benign and early malignant rectal tumors by using transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM). METHODS: Our study included 130 patients who had undergone TEM for rectal adenomas and early rectal cancer from December 2009 to December 2015 at the Department of Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Lithuania. Patients underwent digital and endoscopic evaluation with multiple biopsies. For preoperative staging, pelvic magnetic resonance imaging or endorectal ultrasound was performed. We recorded the demographics, operative details, final pathologies, postoperative lengths of hospital stay, postoperative complications, and recurrences. RESULTS: The average tumor size was 2.8 ± 1.5 cm (range, 0.5–8.3 cm). 102 benign (78.5%) and 28 malignant tumors (21.5%) were removed. Of the latter, 23 (82.1%) were pT1 cancers and 5 (17.9%) pT2 cancers. Of the 5 patients with pT2 cancer, 2 underwent adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, 1 underwent an abdominoperineal resection, 1 refused further treatment and 1 was lost to follow up. No intraoperative complications occurred. In 7 patients (5.4%), postoperative complications were observed: urinary retention (4 patients, 3.1%), postoperative hemorrhage (2 patients, 1.5%), and wound dehiscence (1 patient, 0.8%). All complications were treated conservatively. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 2.3 days. CONCLUSION: TEM in our experience demonstrated low complication and recurrence rates. This technique is recommended for treating patients with a rectal adenoma and early rectal cancer and has good prognosis.
Adenoma ; Biopsy ; Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Demography ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Length of Stay ; Lithuania ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; National Cancer Institute (U.S.) ; Pathology ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Hemorrhage ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Recurrence ; Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery* ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Retention ; Wounds and Injuries

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of prophylactic intra-iliac and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy on pelvic recurrence and liver metastasis after radical resection for rectal cancer.

METHODSEighty-four rectal cancer patients,undergone radical resection on Dukes stage B or C,were randomly assigned to postoperative intra-iliac and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy group(group I) and routine vein chemotherapy group(group II). Five-year survival and recurrence rates were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAmong the 84 rectal cancer patients with radical resection, the 5-year liver metastasis and pelvic recurrence rates were 30.2% (13/43) and 18.6% (8/43) respectively in group II, 17.1% (7/41) and 9.8% (4/41) in group I, the difference was significant between 2 groups (chi(2)=4.31, P<0.05). The mean tumor-free survival time was 26.2 months in group I and 15.8 months in group II (t=5.05, P<0.01), the difference was significant (t=5.05, P<0.01). The five-year survival rate in group I (65.9%) was significantly higher than that in group II (56.5%) (u=8.86, P<0.01). Cox multivariate analysis showed that, compared with those in group II, the relative risks of pelvic recurrence and liver metastasis in group I decreased 20% (coefficient of relative risk: 0.7959), and the five-year mortality also decreased 20% (coefficient of relative risk: 0.8034).

CONCLUSIONProphylactic intra-iliac and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy can reduce the rates of pelvic recurrence and liver metastasis after radical resection of rectal cancer.

Adult ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion ; Female ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Liver Neoplasms ; prevention & control ; secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; prevention & control ; Pelvic Neoplasms ; prevention & control ; secondary ; Pelvis ; pathology ; Rectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo explore whether the abnormality of hMLH1 gene may be an early event of carcinogenesis in rectal carcinoma, and to evaluate the diagnostic value in differentiation between intraepithelial neoplasm and early stage of colorectal carcinoma.

METHODSThe expression of hMLH1 protein in 28 cases with early invasive rectal carcinoma(EIRC), 36 cases with rectal intraepithelial neoplasm(RIEN), and 30 cases with normal rectal mucosa(NRM) which were collected through surgical operations were detected by PV-9000 immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSThe positive expression rates of hMLH1 protein were 100%(30/30), 77.8%(28/36), and 39.3%(11/28) in NRM, RIEN, and EIRC respectively. The difference was statistically significant between RIEN and EIRC(P=0.002), and the difference was also statistically significant between RIEN and NRM(P=0.006). The positive expression of hMLH1 was not related to age, gender, tumor maximum diameter, dysplasia, tumor types, and distance from the anal verge in RIEV group(P>0.05). In EIRC group, hMLH1 was associated with tumor differentiation(P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONhMLH1 gene deletion may be an early event during carcinogenesis of rectal carcinoma, which may be useful in differentiation of intraepithelial neoplasm from early rectal carcinoma.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; genetics ; metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma in Situ ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; MutL Protein Homolog 1 ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism

Prostate cancer (CaP) is the most common cancer diagnosed among men in the United States and the fifth most common cancer among men in Korea. Unfortunately, the early stages of CaP may have no symptoms. Thus, early detection is very important and physicians managing voiding dysfunction must have awareness about CaP. The traditional tests used for early detection of CaP are the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal examination. However, a high PSA level is not specific for CaP. Benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis, urinary tract infection, and urinary retention can all cause a high PSA level. Thus, no test shows sufficient accuracy to truly be useful for screening men for CaP. A prostate biopsy is the only method that yields a definitive diagnosis of CaP; however, this test is invasive and uncomfortable. Recently, new biomarkers for CaP detection have been proposed to improve the accuracy of the PSA test. In this review, we summarize our knowledge of various new biomarkers, including PSA-associated biomarkers (the prostate health index and 4Kscore), molecular biomarkers (PCA3, TMPRSS2: ERG fusion gene, and various miRNAs), and proteomics-associated biomarkers, and the ways in which they may improve the detection rate of CaP. Accordingly, this review can raise awareness about CaP to physicians managing voiding dysfunction and be a good reference for them.
Biomarkers ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Digital Rectal Examination ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Methods ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Prostatitis ; United States ; Urinary Retention ; Urinary Tract Infections