OBJECTIVETo examine the association of preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level with the efficacy of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy and postoperative metastasis and relapse in patients with rectal cancer.

METHODSBetween January 2011 and January 2014, 325 patients with local advanced rectal cancer underwent preoperative radiochemotherapy and radical operation in Department of Colorectal Cancer Surgery, Beijing University Cancer Hospital, including 194 males and 131 females. According to preoperative MRI, all the patients suffered from clinical T3-4 tumors or positive lymph nodes. Their Zubrod-ECOG-WHO score was 0-1. These patients received preoperative intensity modulated radiotherapy which consisted of 50.6 Gy in 22 fractions (IMRT GTV 50.6 Gy/CTV 41.8 Gy/22 f) with capecitabine(825 mg/m, twice per day) as radiosensitizer. According to the preoperative serum CEA level, patients were divided into high group (125 cases) and normal group (200 cases). In high group, serum CEA level decreased into normal range in 60 patients (high-normal group) after radiochemotherapy, while it was still in high level in other 65 patients (high-high group). The differences in sensitivity to radiochemotherapy and 3-year disease free survival (DFS) of these patients were both evaluated.

RESULTSIn high group and normal group, the complete response rates were 18.4% (23/125) and 17.5% (35/200) (χ=0.319, P=0.660); the percentages of tumor regression grade(TRG) 0-1 patients were 68.0%(85/125) and 67.5%(135/200)(χ=0.009, P=0.925); the T downstage rates were 63.2%(79/125) and 70.0%(140/200)(χ=1.266, P=0.274), respectively, whose differences were all not significant. The 3-year DFS rate in high group was 62.4%, which was significantly lower than 93.5% in normal group (χ=53.147, P=0.000). There were 65 patients in high-high group, accounting for 52% (65/125) of high group. Among these 65 patients, 44(67.7%) presented recurrence and metastasis within 3 years and the 3-year DFS was 32.3%, which was much lower than 95.0% of 60 patients in high-normal group(χ=182.085, P=0.000).

CONCLUSIONSPreoperative serum CEA level may not be used to predict tumor response of rectal cancer patients who receive preoperative radiochemotherapy. However, the prognosis of patients with high CEA level is worse. Recurrence and metastasis are more likely to occur in patients with high CEA level after radiochemotherapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; blood ; Chemoradiotherapy ; statistics & numerical data ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; statistics & numerical data ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; statistics & numerical data ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; prevention & control ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; prevention & control ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; surgery ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo investigate the safety and efficacy of organ preservation surgery or "watch and wait" strategy for rectal cancer patients who are evaluated as clinical complete response(cCR) or near-cCR following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT).

METHODFrom March 2011 to June 2016, 35 patients with mid-low rectal cancers who were diagnosed as cCR or near-cCR following nCRT underwent organ preservation surgery with local excision or surveillance following "watch and wait" strategy in the Peking University Cancer Hospital. All the patients received re-evaluation and re-staging 6-12 weeks after the completion of nCRT, according to Habr-Gama and MSKCC criteria for the diagnosis of cCR or near-cCR. The near-cCR patients who received local excision and were pathologically diagnosed as T0Nx were also regarded as cCR. The end-points of this study included organ-preservation rate (OPR), sphincter-preservation rate (SPR), non-re-growth disease-free survival (NR-DFS), stoma-free survival, cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival(OS). Kaplan-Meier curve was used to estimate the survival data at 3 years.

RESULTSA total of 35 cases were analyzed including 24 males (68.6%) and 11 females (31.4%). The median age was 60 (range 37-79) years and the median distance from tumor to anal edge was 4(2-8) cm. Thirty-three patients received 50.6 Gy/22f IMRT with capecitabine and two patients received 50 Gy/25f RT with capecitabine. The cCR and near-cCR rates were 74.3%(26/35) and 25.7%(9/35) respectively. Excision biopsy was performed in 4 near-cCR cases to confirm the diagnosis of cCR. The non-re-growth DFS rate was 14.3%(5/35) and the median time of tumor re-growth was 6.7 (4.7-37.4) months. In five patients with tumor re-growth, four were salvaged by radical rectal resections and one received local excision. The distant metastasis rate was 5.7%(2/35), one patient presented resectable liver metastasis and received radical resection, another patient presented multiple bone metastases and was still alive. The median follow-up time was 43.7(6.1-71.4) months. At three years, the organ-preservation rate was 88.6%(31/35), the sphincter-preservation rate was 97.1% (34/35). No local recurrence was observed in five patients who received salvage surgery. The non-re-growth DFS was 94.0%. Three patients died of non-rectal cancer related events. The cancer-specific survival was 100%, the overall survival was 92.7% and the stoma-free survival rate was 90.0%.

CONCLUSIONSOrgan preservation surgery or "watch and wait" strategy for cCR or near-cCR patients is feasible and achieves good outcomes. This strategy can be an alternative to standard care, improve patient's quality of life and facilitate tailored treatment for mid-low rectal cancer following nCRT, however, it should be cautiously applied in near-cCR patients before local excision biopsy.

Adult ; Aged ; Anal Canal ; surgery ; Biopsy ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; secondary ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; prevention & control ; Organ Preservation ; Quality of Life ; Rectal Neoplasms ; mortality ; surgery ; therapy ; Reoperation ; Salvage Therapy ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Watchful Waiting ; methods

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Laparoscopic surgery has been proven to be an effective alternative to open surgery in patients with colon cancer. However, data on laparoscopic surgery in patients with rectal cancer are insufficient. The aim of this study was to compare the long-term outcomes of laparoscopic and open surgery in patients with rectal cancer. METHODS: A total of 307 patients with rectal cancer who were treated by open and laparoscopic curative resection at Kosin University Gospel Hospital (Busan, Korea) between January 2002 and December 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Regarding treatment, 176 patients underwent an open procedure and 131 patients underwent a laparoscopic procedure. The local recurrence rate after laparoscopic resection was 2.3%, compared with 5.7% after open resection (p=0.088). Distant metastases occurred in 6.9% of the laparoscopic surgery group, compared with 24.4% in the open surgery group (p<0.001). In univariate analysis, age (> or =75 years vs. < or =60 years), preoperative staging, surgical approach (open vs. laparoscopic), elevated initial CEA level, elevated follow-up CEA level, number of positive lymph nodes, and postoperative chemotherapy affected overall survival and disease free survival. However, in multivariate analysis, the surgical approach apparently did not affect long-term oncologic outcome. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, long-term outcomes after laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer were not inferior to those after open surgery. Therefore, laparoscopic surgery would be an alternative operative tool to open resection for rectal cancer, although further investigation is needed.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; *Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Rectal Neoplasms/mortality/*surgery/therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo summarize and analyze the clinicopathological features and surgical management of patients with pathologic complete response (pCR) in the primary tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for rectal cancer, and to explore the rational treatment of this entity.

METHODSClinical data of fifty-two patients with locally advanced mid-low rectal cancer admitted to the Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 1994 to December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. They were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and achieved pathological complete response in the primary tumor. The preoperative clinical staging were stage II (cT3~4N0) in 10 cases and stage III (cT3~4N+) in 42 cases. After the neoadjuvant therapy, 10 cases achieved clinical complete response (cCR) (19.2%).

RESULTSRadical surgery was performed in 51 patients. Among them, five patients (9.8%) had pathological lymph node metastasis. One cCR patient underwent transanal local excision. The postoperative complication rate was 21.2%. During a median follow-up of 23.6 months, only one patient developed bone metastasis and another one had enlarged mesenteric and retroperitoneal lymph nodes detected by imaging. All the patients were alive by the last follow-up. The 2-year disease-free survival rate was 96.2% and overall survival rate was 100%.

CONCLUSIONSRadical surgery remains the standard therapy for cCR patients with rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Local excision and "wait and see" should be recommended with great caution and limited to patients who cannot tolerate or refuse radical surgery with a strong demanding for sphincter saving, or applied in clinical trials.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; methods ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; methods ; Neoplasm Staging ; Postoperative Complications ; Rectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Remission Induction ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic effect of preoperative regional intra-arterial chemotherapy (PRAC) on progressive lower rectal cancer.

METHODSForty-five patients with progressive lower rectal cancer were divided into groups A (23 cases) and B (22 cases) for treatment with PRAC 1 to 2 weeks prior to surgical tumor resection or with surgical resection only, respectively.

RESULTSPRAC caused obvious tissue degeneration and necrosis of rectal cancer with a total effective rate of 95.65%. The rates of radical resection in groups A and B were 91.3% and 72.27%, respectively. The 1-year postoperative survival rates of the two groups were 95.65% and 86.36%, with 3-year survival of 89.96% and 68.18%, and 3-year postoperative recurrence rates of 8.69% and 27.27%, respectively. The anal preservation rates of the two groups were 78.26% and 59.09%.

CONCLUSIONPRAC can increase radical resection rates, promote the postoperative survival and anal preservation rate, and lower the recurrence rate in patients with lower rectal cancer.

Adenocarcinoma ; drug therapy ; mortality ; surgery ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Infusions, Intra-Arterial ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Preoperative Care ; Rectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; surgery ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo explore efficacy of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy in locally advanced low rectal cancer.

METHODSFrom May 2001 to August 2005, 105 patients with locally advanced low rectal cancer (T3, T4) were treated by preoperative radiotherapy to pelvis, 2.0 Gy daily up to 40-46 Gy in 4-5 weeks concomitantly with oral capecitabine at 1250 mg x m(-2) x d(-1) for 10 weeks up to surgery. In all patients surgery was carried out under the rule of total mesorectal excision technique.

RESULTSAll patients finished the course of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy. Among them, 36 patients experienced adverse effects. Thirteen patients resulted in complete tumor response and spared the operation. Ninety-two patients were operated on with radical resection, among them 71 patients with low anterior resection, 17 with Parks' colo-anal anastomosis and 4 with abdomino-perineal resection, so sphincter preservation was achieved in 96.2%. In postoperative pathological studies, 11 cases showed complete tumor regression. According to the TNM staging system, 24 cases were ranged T0N0, and 23 cases T2N0, 43 cases T3N0, 2 cases T4N0, 5 cases T2N1, 8 cases T3N1; and according to Dworak's tumor regression grading, 5 cases were ranked TGR0, and 18 cases TGR1, 11 cases TGR2, 47 cases TGR3, 24 cases TGR4. Pathologic downstaging was achieved in 78.1%, including complete response (TGR4) and intermediate response (TGR2 + 3). No operative death occurred. Anastomotic leakage was found in 5 cases, including 3 rectovaginal fistula. All patients have been followed up for 16-67 months, and lung metastasis occurred in 4 cases, liver metastasis in 2 patients and local recurrence in 4 patients. Three patients died of distant metastasis. The 3-year disease-free survival was 82.8% and overall survival was 96.5%.

CONCLUSIONSNeoadjuvant radiochemotherapy brings tumor down-staging and increases resectability and sphincter preservation, decreases recurrence and improves survival in locally advanced low rectal cancer.

Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; adverse effects ; methods ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Preoperative Care ; methods ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; adverse effects ; methods ; Rectal Neoplasms ; mortality ; surgery ; therapy ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively investigate the efficacy of chemoembolization of bilateral internal iliac arteries in patients underwent Miles operation. METHODS: One hundred and thirteen patients with rectal cancer were randomly classified into 2 groups. The chemoembolization of bilateral internal iliac arteries with anticancer agents and gelatin sponge particles was applied during Miles operation in the treatment group (68 cases), while Miles operation was performed in the control group (45 cases). The amount of intraoperative bleeding, the operation time, the incidence of local recurrence, and the 5 year survival rate were analyzed and compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The complications and the operation time had not significantly different in both groups (P > 0. 05); the amount of bleeding and the incidence of local pelvic recurrence were less, and the 5 year survival rate was higher in the treatment group than that in the control group (P <0.05). CONCLUSION In Miles operation of rectal cancer, the chemoembolization of bilateral internal iliac arteries is a safe and effective therapy, and it can improve the efficacy of rectal cancer both in the short and long run.
Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitomycin ; administration & dosage ; Prospective Studies ; Rectal Neoplasms ; mortality ; surgery ; therapy ; Survival Rate