PURPOSE: Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been considered effective treatments in advanced rectal cancers. Recently, several studies have reported that preoperative chemoradiation (CRT) may have advantages over postoperative CRT, particularly in reducing local recurrence and preserving the anal sphincter. We studied the short-term efficacy of preoperative CRT for locally advanced rectal cancers. METHODS: Between Jun. 2000 and Aug. 2003, 23 patients were treated with preoperative CRT, followed by surgery (pre-CRT) and 31 patients were treated with chemoradiation postoperatively (post-CRT). We compared these two groups for the incidence and degree of side effects from CRT, postoperative complications, type of surgery, including anal sphincter preservation, and short-term recurrence. RESULTS: The average age and male-to-female ratio of the pre- and the post-CRT groups were 58+/-11, years and 13:10, and 61+/-14 and 14:17, respectively. T downstagings were observed in 17 of 23 (74%) pre-CRT patients. On the RTOG-EORTC scale, the patients who showed hematological, intestinal and dermal side effects in the pre-CRT group and in the post-CRT group were 5, 5, 2 and 5, 2, 4, respectively and the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.41). Anal sphincter preserving surgical procedures were performed 91.3% (21/23) and 83.9% (26/31) of the patients in the pre- and the post-CRT groups, respectively. But this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.4). Postoperative complications in the pre-CRT group were anastomosis site leakages (n=3) and rectovaginal fistula (n=1). In the post-CRT group, complications were two anastomosis site leakages. Four of the 31 post-CRT group patients had recurrences such as locoregional area (n=2), liver (n=1), and lung (n=1) while no patient was observed in pre- CRT group. CONCLUSIONS: Although pre-CRT group showed higher incidence of complications than post-CRT group, these were managed easily and safely. Pre-CRT seems to be an effective modality for treating advanced rectal cancers particularly for preserving anal sphincter. Long-term follow- up data are needed to clarify the effect of pre-CRT.
Anal Canal ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver ; Lung ; Postoperative Complications ; Radiotherapy ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Rectovaginal Fistula ; Recurrence

Female ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Rectovaginal Fistula ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy

BACKGROUND: As the incidence of coloanal diseases has been steadily increasing during the past few decades in Korea, we illustrate the necessity of a specialized colorectal clinic for the efficient management of such diseases. METHOD: Outpatients at our colorectal clinic were studied epidemiologically and clinically by retrospective studies between November 1986 to December 1996. RESULTS: During this period, the total number of outpatients were 30,590 of which 24% were new patients. The patient pool consisted of anal diseases (62%), colon diseases (28%) and other diseases (10%). In this study, we found that condyloma, perianal abscesses, anal fistulas were predominant in males compared to females while rectovaginal fistulas, functional bowel diseases, and perianal fissures were predominant in females. There was no sexual bias for rectal cancer. Colorectal diseases occurred in all age groups; however, the peak age was in the fourth or fifth decade where social activity was maximum. There was a variation in age incidence among different disease entities. The range of age for benign conditions such as hemorroids, perianal abscessess and functional bowel diseases were from the third to the fifth decades; however, malignant lesions such as colon cancer were frequently seen in older patients (> 40 years). Condyloma was frequently seen in younger patients (< 20 years). There were no monthly variations in the incidences of colorectal diseases. Yearly variations were not found for colorectal disease, but were found for cancer. Of the cancers, the incidence of rectal cancer was higher than s-colon cancer or colon cancer in year variations. The diagnostic time has been reduced significantly over the past decade. The mean time required for a diagnosis work up in the period from 1984 to 1986 was 9.4 days; the diagnostic time in the period from 1993 to 1996 was 4.7 days. CONCLUSIONS: The incidences of coloanal disease have increased recently in Korea; thus, the demand for an efficient outpatient colorectal clinic has inevitably increased. We concluding that a specialized clinic, such as our colorectal clinic, has become essential for properly managing the exploding number of coloanal patients in Korea.
Abscess ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Outpatients* ; Rectal Fistula ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Rectovaginal Fistula ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Rectal Fistula*

No abstract available.
Rectal Fistula*

No abstract available.
Rectal Fistula*

No abstract available.
Rectal Fistula*

No abstract available.
Rectal Fistula*

PURPOSE: Preoperative chemoradiation therapy for rectal cancer seems to improve local control, anal sphincter preservation, resectability, and possibly survival in patients. However, there are several adverse effects, too. The aim of this study is to analyze the disadvantages of preoperative chemoradiation for rectal cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 139 patients who were treated by using preoperative chemoradiation for an adenocarcinoma of the rectum between January 1995 and December 2004. All patients had fixed or locally advanced lesions, as determined by digital rectal examination. No distant metastasis was proven before preoperative chemoradiation. All of the patiedts received the full scheduled dose of radiation (range, 5,000~5,400 rad). Concurrent intravenous chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (425 mg/m2/day) and leucovorin (45 mg/day) was administered continuously on days 1~5 and 29~33. The mean interval between chemoradiation and surgery was 4~6 weeks. After preoperative chemoradiation, 117 patients underwent an operation. We reviewed the side effects of preoperative chemoradiation, postoperative complications, and distant metastases detected during the preoperative period after preoperative chemoradiation and during the operation. RESULTS: The side effects of preoperative chemoradiation were diarrhea (23%), radiation dermatitis (2.2%), fistula (0.7%), sepsis (0.7%), and rectal bleeding (0.7%). Two patients died from sepsis and rectal bleeding. The postoperative complications were bowel obstruction in 9 cases (7.7%), wound seroma in 8 cases (6.8%), wound infection in 5 cases (4.3%), anastomotic leakage in 5 cases (7.1%), rectovaginal fistula in 2 cases (2.8%), an enterocutaneous fistula in 2 cases (1.7%), and a vesicocutaneous fistula in 1 case (0.8%). Distant metastases were detected in 14 patients (10.1%) after preoperative chemoradiation. CONCLUSIONS: Although preoperative chemoradiation can be performed safely, careful management for the side effects of preoperative chemoradiation and for postoperative complications is necessary. We need a more sensitive study method for detecting distant metastasis of rectal cancer, especially during scheduled preoperative chemoradiation.
Adenocarcinoma ; Anal Canal ; Anastomotic Leak ; Dermatitis ; Diarrhea ; Digital Rectal Examination ; Drug Therapy ; Fistula ; Fluorouracil ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intestinal Fistula ; Leucovorin ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Postoperative Complications ; Preoperative Period ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Rectovaginal Fistula ; Rectum ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Seroma ; Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries

A clinical study was made of 14 cases of distal rectal cancer treated at the Department of Surgery, St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College, from January 1995 to April 1996. The patients were treated in a modified Thomas Jefferson program and received high doses of preoperative radiation followed by a sphincter saving procedure. The results are as follows: 1) There were 5 male patients (35.7%) and 9 female patients(64.3%). There was also a large number of patients in their 50s and 60s. 2) The preoperative pathologic type was a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. 3) Rectal bleeding was the most common symptom, followed by tenesmus, constipation, anal pain, and a tarry stool. 4) At diagnosis, the Thomas Jefferson (T.J.) system was used for the clinical stage of the patients. The clinical stage of disease showed a preponderance of T.J. stage I (10 patients), T.J stage II, III, and IV occurred in 2, 1, and 1 patient, respectively. 5) The most common site was 0-3 cm above dentate line (8 patients), followed by 4-6 cm (5 patients) and > 7 cm (1 patient) above the dentate line. 6) The complications after preoperative radiation therapy were diarrhea (3 patients) and perianal dermatitis (5 patients). 7) After preoperative radiation therapy, one case showed pathologic complete remission. 8) The procedure was a Transanal Abdominal TransAnal proctosigmoidectomy and coloanal anastomosis (TATA) in 11 patients, a low anterior resection in 1 patient, an abdominal perineal resection in 1 patient, and a colostomy in 1 patient. 9) The pathologic stage showed a preponderance of Duke's B2 and B1; 5 were B2, 4 were B1, 3 were C2, 1 was D, and 1 was O. 10) The postoperative complications after colostomy repair in TATA were frequent defecation, tenesmus, anal pain at defecation, and rectovaginal fistulas which subsided 3 months after colostomy repair.
Adenocarcinoma ; Colostomy ; Constipation ; Defecation ; Dermatitis ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Rectovaginal Fistula