Rectal cancer is an emerging health issue in Korea because its incidence is rapidly increasing with changes in life styles and diets. The optimal treatment of rectal cancer is based on multimodality. Among them, surgical treatment is the corner-stone. In the past, local recurrence rate has been reported as high as 30-40%, but the concept of total mesorectal excision (TME) lowered the rate of local recurrence down to less than 10%. TME focuses on sharp pelvic dissection and complete removal of rectal cancer with surrounding mesorectum inside the rectal proper fascia. TME is now considered as a standard procedure for surgical treatment of mid and low rectal cancer. With the introduction of pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for preoperative staging of rectal cancer, risk factors for local recurrence can be predicted before surgery to distinguish patients who are in high risk for recurrence that requires preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. Early rectal cancer was assessed by transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and endorectal MRI with coil. Transanal local excision can be applied with anal sphincter preservation safely. Neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy was performed in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, and this resulted in tumor size reductions and histopathologic downstaging effect. As far as the quality of life is concerned, sexual and voiding function are much improved by techniques preserving nerve. Many experts have dealt with challenging practical problems of managing rectal cancer from diagnosis to quality of life. This issue contains recent progresses in the diagnosis and treatment of rectal cancer which will serve as a comprehensive reference for those who manage rectal cancer in their medical practice.
Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms/diagnosis/*therapy

Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; therapy

Aged ; Carcinoma ; diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis

Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neoplasm Staging ; Rectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology

Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Preoperative Care ; Rectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis

Magnetic resonance imaging has became the major method for rectal cancer diagnosis. As a novel magnetic resonance functional imaging technique, diffusion-weighted imaging has improved the lesion detection sensitivity and provided more information on changes in body functions. The past two decades have witnessed the increasing application of this technique in clinical practices. This article summarizes the application of diffusion weighted imaging in rectal cancer diagnosis.
Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis

Rectal cancer carries poor prognosis because of metastasis and local recurrence. Local recurrence has a profound effect on morbidity and quality of life. Randomized trials have proven that neoadjuvant treatment can significantly reduce local recurrence rate in some selected cases of advanced rectal cancer. Therefore, preoperative staging of rectal cancer has an important impact on treatment plan. Two main factors in predicting the local recurrence are known as the circumferential resection margin (CRM) and the nodal status. Recently, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is regarded as a superior modality in the preoperative assessment of CRM with high accuracy and reproducibility. However, the results of imaging in predicting of nodal involvement are not satisfactory. In order to increase the accuracy of preoperative nodal staging, several efforts were done to evaluate lymph node by MRI or by pelvic MRI using lymph node-specific contrast agent (ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide, USPIO). In this review, the role of MRI in preoperative evaluation of rectal cancer will be discussed.
Humans ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Rectal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/surgery

To define the practical value of prostatic needle biopsy in patients with suspicious prostatic carcinoma we studied the analysis of the clinical records of 49 patients underwent the prostatic needle biopsy at Severance Hospital during the 5 year period from 1976 through 1980. Forty-nine patients had been biopsied; carcinoma was found in 3 of 15 patients (20 per cent) not having prostatic induration, 6 of 17 (35 per cent) with minimal or equivocal induration and 12 of 17 (71 per cent) with marked induration. The results suggest that the vast majority of the patients with prostatic carcinoma has some degree of palpable induration and that a high index of suspicion appears warranted and needle biopsyshould be performed when any prostatic induration is present on digital rectal examination.
Biopsy, Needle* ; Diagnosis* ; Digital Rectal Examination ; Humans ; Needles* ; Prostatic Neoplasms

PURPOSE: To evaluate the pathologic effects of preoperative radiotherapy on the resectable distal rectal cancer, we analyzed the results of postoperative pathologic findings for the patients with preoperative radiotherapy and surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 1995 to April 1996, we treated sixteen patients of resectable rectal cancer with preoperative radiation therapy and curative surgery. At diagnosis, Thomas Jefferson (TJ) system was used for the clinical stage of the patients. We treated the patients with conventional radiation therapy of 4500-5000cGy before surgery. The surgery was carried out 4 weeks after completion of radiation therapy. Modified Astler Coller (MAC) system was used for the postoperative pathologic stage. We analyzed the pathologic stages and findings according to preoperative clinical stage and compared with those of the control group in similar clinical stages. RESULTS: All patients were treated with sphincter preservation surgery after preoperative radiation therapy. Pathologic complete response (CR) was shown in 1 case (6.3%). We compared the results between preoperative radiation therapy group (Preop.RT group) and surgery only group (control group). In TJ stage II, among nine patients of Preop.RT group, 8 patients (88.9%) were in MAC stage B except 1 CR patient, but among 17 patients of control group, 11 patients (64.7%) were in MAC stage B and 6 patients (35.3%) in MAC stage C. In TJ stage III, among 7 patients of Preop.RT group, 4 patients (57.1%) were in MAC stage B and 3 patients (42.9%) in MAC stage C. Among 14 patients of control group, 4 patients (28.6%) were in MAC stage B and 10 patients (71.4%) in MAC stage C. Above results showed that postoperative pathologic stage was decreased in Preop.RT group with statistical significance (p=0.049). The postoperative pathologic findings (blood vessel invasion, lymphatic vessel invasion, perineural invasion) were decreased in the Preop.RT group compared with those of control group. But statistical significance was found only in lymphatic vessel invasion (p=0.019). CONCLUSION: The postoperative pathologic stages and adverse prognostic pathologic findings were decreased in preoperative radiation therapy group. The lymphatic vessel invasion and MAC stage C findings were abruptly decreased in preoperative radiation therapy group. The preoperative radiation therapy was found to be effective in resectable rectal cancer. The patients group in our study was very small and long term follow up was not done. Therefore, further study about this issues is needed .
Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphatic Vessels ; Radiotherapy ; Rectal Neoplasms*

Optimal surgical treatment of rectal cancer is important to control local disease and preserve voiding and sexual function with a good quality of life. Anal sphincter preservation is a challenging issue in distal rectal cancer. Preoperative combined multimodality treatment might increase the rate of anal sphincter preservation. Postoperative adjuvant therapy with chemoradiation in stage II and III seems to increase survical rates and decrease local failure. To achieve the best oncologic and functional outcomes, the extent and type of surgery must be chosen based upon accurate preoperative staging of rectal cancer. Early cancer can be managed with minimal invasive surgery, however, neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy on patients with locally advanced rectal cancer can improve resectability and oncologic outcomes. The rate of local failure is markedly decreased with the development of sharp pelvic dissection and the concept of total mesorectal excision. Total mesorectal excision is to remove rectal cancer and surrounding mesorectum completely without interruption of the rectal proper fascia. Optimized surgical technique and adjuvant chemoradiation can guarantee a promising oncologic outcomes ; however, difficulties of management of patients with local or systemic failure still remain.
Anal Canal ; Diagnosis* ; Fascia ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Rectal Neoplasms*