After the implementation of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and total mesorectal excision, lateral local recurrence becomes the major type of local recurrence after surgery in rectal cancer. Most lateral recurrence develops from enlarged lateral lymph nodes on an initial imaging study. Evidence is accumulating to support the combined use of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and lateral lymph node dissection. The accuracy of diagnosing lateral lymph node metastasis remains poor. The size of lateral lymph nodes is still the most commonly used variable with the most consistent accuracy and the cut-off value ranging from 5 to 8 mm on short axis. The morphological features, differentiation of the primary tumor, circumferential margin, extramural venous invasion, and response to chemoradiotherapy are among other risk factors to predict lateral lymph node metastasis. Planning multiple disciplinary treatment strategies for patients with suspected nodes must consider both the risk of local recurrence and distant metastasis. Total neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is the most promising regimen for patients with a high risk of recurrence. Simultaneous Integrated Boost Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy seemingly improves the local control of positive lateral nodes. However, its impact on the safety of surgery in patients with no response to the treatment or regrowth of lateral nodes remains unclear. For patients with smaller nodes below the cut-off value or shrunken nodes after treatment, a close follow-up strategy must be performed to detect the recurrence early and perform a salvage surgery. For patients with stratified lateral lymph node metastasis risks, plans containing different multiple disciplinary treatments must be carefully designed for long-term survival and better quality of life.
Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis/pathology* ; Quality of Life ; Neoplasm Staging ; Retrospective Studies ; Lymph Nodes/pathology* ; Rectal Neoplasms/surgery* ; Lymph Node Excision/methods* ; Neoadjuvant Therapy/methods* ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/surgery*

Lateral lymph node (LLN) metastasis in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is associated with patient prognosis. However, the role of lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) remains controversial. The concept of LLN and the exact definition of LLND have been inconsistently reported in the literatures. The treatment strategy for LARC has differed between the East and the West. The Japanese doctors advocates total mesorectal excision (TME) with LLND for LARC, but less neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (NARC). European and Americans prefer NARC plus TME, and do not recommend LLND. So far, only the Japanese Statute of Colorectal Cancer has a clear definition of the concept of LLN and LLND. The use of TME plus LLND for LARC is not supported by high level evidences. In today's high-speed development of minimally invasive surgery, the proper selection of standardized surgical methods for LARC requires the joint efforts of scholars from the East and the West to conduct multicenter high-grade clinical trials to select the best treatment option for patients with LARC.
Humans ; Lymph Node Excision/methods* ; Lymph Nodes/pathology* ; Lymphatic Metastasis/pathology* ; Neoadjuvant Therapy/methods* ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/surgery* ; Neoplasm Staging ; Rectal Neoplasms/therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy of radiotherapy combined with surgery for locally advanced rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Clinical data of patients with locally advanced rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma (T3-4 and/or N+) diagnosed by postoperative pathology from 1992 to 2013 were retrieved from the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients with local excision only, tumor biopsy or combined organ excision and incomplete follow-up information were excluded. All the enrolled patients were divided into three groups according to different treatments, including surgery alone (SA) group, preoperative radiotherapy combined with surgery (RT+S) group and surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy (S+RT) group. The extracted data included basic data of patients and tumor, treatment status, and follow-up results. The χ² test was used to compare the count data. Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw the survival curve and calculate the survival rate. The survival was analyzed and compared by Log-rank test. The R language 2.8.1 was used to match the patients as 1:1 pairing through the propensity score matching (PSM). The matching variables included gender, age at diagnosis, year at diagnosis, ethnicity, degree of tissue differentiation, TNM stage, depth of invasion, making the baseline data of subgroups comparable. The Cox proportional hazard model was used for multivariate analysis of prognostic factors. RESULTS: A total of 2 149 patients with locally advanced rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma were enrolled in the study, including 1 255 males (58.4%) and 894 females (41.6%). There were 706 patients (32.9%) in the SA group, 772 patients (35.9%) in the RT+S group and 671 patients (31.2%) in the S+RT group. In SA, RT+S and S+RT groups, the median overall survival time was 39, 85, and 74 months respectively; the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 38.7%, 56.5%, and 55.2% respectively; the median cancer-specific survival (CSS) time was 86, 127, and 111 months respectively, and the 5-year CSS rate was 53.7%, 62.2% and 60.7% respectively. In comparison among the 3 groups, the 5-year OS rate and CSS rate in the SA group were significantly lower than those in the RT+S group and S+RT group (all P<0.001); the 5-year OS rate and CSS rate between RT+S group and S+RT group were not significantly different (P=0.166 and 0.392,respectively). After the baseline data of subgroups were corrected through PSM, the 5-year OS rate and CSS rate in the SA group (n=375) were significantly lower than those in the RT+S group (n=375)(OS:40.1% vs. 54.5%, P<0.001; CSS:54.3% vs. 63.3%, P=0.023). The 5-year OS rate and CSS rate in the SA group (n=403) were also lower than those in the S+RT group (n=403) (OS:37.4% vs. 54.7%,P<0.001;CSS:51.6% vs. 61.0%,P=0.031). The 5-year OS rate and CSS rate between RT+S group (n=363) and S+RT group (n=363) were not significantly different (OS:51.7% vs. 55.5%, P=0.789; CSS:57.7% vs. 60.5%, P=0.484). Cox multivariate analysis showed that radiotherapy (HR=0.845, 95%CI: 0.790 to 0.903, P=0.001) was an independent prognostic factor for OS of locally advanced rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma; radiotherapy (HR=0.907, 95% CI: 0.835 to 0.985, P=0.021) was also an independent prognostic factor affecting CSS in patients with locally advanced rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION As compared with surgery alone, surgery combined with preoperative or postoperative radiotherapy is beneficial to the long-term survival of patients with locally advanced rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Proctectomy ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Rectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; SEER Program ; Survival Analysis ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the surgical efficacy and prognostic factors of T3NxM0 middle-low rectal cancer without neoadjuvant therapy. METHODS: Clinical data of patients with middle-low rectal cancer undergoing TME surgery with T3NxM0 confirmed by postoperative pathology at Colorectal Surgery Department of Changhai Hospital from January 2008 to December 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. INCLUSION CRITERIA: (1)no preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT); (2) complete preoperative evaluation, including medical history, preoperative colonoscopy or digital examination, blood tumor marker examination, and imaging examination; (3) distance between tumor lower margin and anal verge was ≤ 10 cm; (4) negative circumferential resection margin (CRM-). Finally, a total of 331 patients were included in this study. According to the number of metastatic lymph node confirmed by postoperative pathology, the patients were divided into N0 group without regional lymph node metastasis (190 cases) and N+ group with regional lymph node metastasis (141 cases). The perioperative conditions, local recurrence, distant metastasis and prognostic factors were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared to N0 group in the perioperative data, N+ group had higher ratio of tumor deposit [29.8%(42/141) vs. 0, χ²=64.821, P<0.001] and vascular invasion [7.1%(10/141) vs. 0.5%(1/190),χ²=10.860, P<0.001]. There were no significant differences in tumor diameter, number of lymph nodes detected, positive nerve invasion, degree of tumor differentiation, morbidity of postoperative complication and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy rate between the two groups (all P>0.05). The median follow-up period was 73.4 months. The merged 5-year local recurrence rate was 2.7%(9/331), 5-year distant metastasis rate was 23.3% (77/331), 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 73.4%, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 77.2%. Multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis (HR=3.120, 95%CI: 1.918 to 5.075, P<0.001), nerve invasion (HR=0.345, 95%CI: 0.156 to 0.760, P=0.008) and vascular invasion (HR=0.428, 95%CI: 0.189 to 0.972, P=0.043) were independent risk factors for DFS in patients with T3NxM0 rectal cancer after operation. Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level (HR=1.858, 95%CI:1.121 to 3.079, P=0.016), lymph node metastasis (HR=3.320, 95%CI: 1.985 to 5.553, P<0.001) and nerve invasion (HR=0.339, 95%CI: 0.156 to 0.738, P=0.006) were independent risk factors for OS in patients with T3NxM0 rectal cancer after operation. CONCLUSIONS Optimal local control rate of middle-low rectal cancer patients with T3NxM0 and CRM- can be achieved by standard TME surgery alone. For patients with preoperative elevated blood carcinoembryonic antigen level, regional lymph node metastasis, or neurovascular invasion confirmed by pathology after surgery, adjuvant chemoradiotherapy should be actively applied after surgery to improve prognosis.
Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Mesocolon ; surgery ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Proctectomy ; methods ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo summarize the perioperative and postoperative complications follow laparoscopic intersphincteric resection (LapISR) in the treatment of low rectal cancer and their management.

METHODSAn observational study was conducted in 73 consecutive patients who underwent LapISR for low rectal cancer between June 2011 and February 2016 in our hospital. The clinicopathological parameters, perioperative and postoperative complications, and clinical outcomes were collected from a prospectively maintained database. Perioperative and postoperative complications were defined as any complication occurring within or more than 3 months after the primary operation, respectively.

RESULTSForty-nine(67.1%) cases were male and 24(32.9%) were female with a median age of 61(25 to 79) years. The median distance from distal tumor margin to anal verge was 4.0(1.0 to 5.5) cm. The median operative time was 195 (120 to 360) min, median intra operative blood loss was 100 (20 to 300) ml, median number of harvested lymph nodes was 14(3 to 31) per case. All the patients underwent preventive terminal ileum loop stoma. No conversion or hospital mortality was presented. The R0 resection rate was 98.6% with totally negative distal resection margin. A total of 34 complication episodes were recorded in 21(28.8%) patients during perioperative period, and among which 20.6%(7/34) was grade III(-IIII( according to Dindo system. Anastomosis-associated morbidity (16.4%,12/73) was the most common after LapISR, including mucosa ischemia in 9 cases(12.3%), stricture in 7 cases (9.6%, 4 cases secondary to mucosa necrosis receiving anal dilation), grade A fistula in 3 cases (4.1%) receiving conservative treatment and necrosis in 1 case (1.4%) receiving permanent stoma. After a median follow up of 21(3 to 60) months, postoperative complications were recorded in 12 patients (16.4%) with 16 episodes, including anastomotic stenosis (8.2%), rectum segmental stricture (5.5%), ileus (2.7%), partial anastomotic dehiscence (1.4%), anastomotic fistula (1.4%), rectovaginal fistula (1.4%) and mucosal prolapse (1.4%). These patients received corresponding treatments, such as endoscopic transanal resection, anal dilation, enema, purgative, permanent stoma, etc. according to the lesions. Six patients (8.2%) required re-operation intervention due to postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONAnastomosis-associated morbidity is the most common after LapISR in the treatment of low rectal cancer in perioperative and postoperative periods, which must be strictly managed with suitable methods.

Adult ; Aged ; Anal Canal ; surgery ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; adverse effects ; Blood Loss, Surgical ; statistics & numerical data ; Colectomy ; adverse effects ; Constriction, Pathologic ; etiology ; therapy ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Ileostomy ; adverse effects ; Intestinal Mucosa ; pathology ; Ischemia ; etiology ; Laparoscopy ; adverse effects ; Lymph Node Excision ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Margins of Excision ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; etiology ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; therapy ; Rectal Neoplasms ; complications ; surgery ; Rectovaginal Fistula ; etiology ; therapy ; Surgical Stomas ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo clarify the natural course and explore impact factors of distant metastasis in rectal cancer patients who received total mesorectal excision(TME) following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

METHODSBetween Januray 2008 and December 2013, 317 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent radical surgical resection following neoadjuvant CRT (pre- and postoperative simple fluorouracil or fluorouracil combined with oxaliplatin plus preoperative three dimensional conformal radiotherapy) at Department of Colorectal Surgery in Fujian Medical University Union Hospital were included. Univariate analysis and Cox regression were performed to evaluate the clinicopathological parameters that may be associated with distant metastasis.

RESULTSDuring a median follow-up of 39 months(range 15 - 89 months), 72 patients(22.7%) had disease recurrence, including local recurrence in 8 patients, and distant metastasis in 67 patients (among whom 3 patients had both). Distant metastasis occurred in 86.5%(58/67) patients during the first three years after surgery. The 3-year cumulative distant metastatic rate in all the patients was 22.4%. The 5-year overall survival rate in distant metastatic patient was significantly lower than that of non-distant metastatic patients following neoadjuvant CRT (36.2% vs. 81.2%, P=0.000). Univariate analysis showed that ypT stage (χ(2)=13.304, P=0.010), ypN stage(χ(2)=23.416, P=0.000), ypTNM stage (χ(2)=31.765, P=0.000) and RCRG(χ(2)=16.246, P=0.000) were associated with distant metastasis. Cox regression revealed that ypTNM stage(HR=1.959, 95% CI:1.171 ~ 3.277, P=0.010) was the only independent risk factor of distant metastasis.

CONCLUSIONSDistant metastasis is the early event during the progression in rectal cancer. ypTNM stage is the only independent risk factor of distant metastasis in locally advanced rectal cancer patients who undergo TME following neoadjuvant CRT.

Chemoradiotherapy ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; Fluorouracil ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; therapeutic use ; Rectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; surgery ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo explore the risk factors and clinical features of delayed anastomotic fistula (DAF) following sphincter-preserving operation for rectal cancer.

METHODSClinical data of 1 594 patients with rectal cancer undergoing sphincter-preserving operation in our department from January 2008 to May 2015 based on the prospective database of Dpartment of Colorectal Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Sixty patients(3.8%) developed anastomotic fistula. Forty-one patients (2.6%) developed early anastomotic fistula (EAF) within 30 days after surgery while 19(1.2%) were DAF that occurred beyond 30 days. Univariate analyses were performed to compare the clinical features between EAF and DAF group.

RESULTSDAF was diagnosed at a median time of 194(30-327) days after anastomosis. As compared to EAF group, DAF group had lower tumor site [(6.1±2.3) cm vs. (7.8±2.8) cm, P=0.023], lower anastomosis site [(3.6±1.8) cm vs. (4.8±1.6) cm, P=0.008], higher ratio of patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (84.2% vs. 34.1%, P=0.000), and receiving preventive stoma (73.7% vs. 14.6%, P=0.000). According to ISREC grading system for anastomotic fistula, DAF patients were grade A and B, while EAF cases were grade B and C(P=0.000). During the first hospital stay for anastomosis, DAF group did not have abdominal pain, general malaise, drainage abnormalities, peritonitis but 8 cases(42.1%) had fever more than 38centi-degree. In EAF group, 29 patients(70.7%) had abdominal pain and general malaise, and 29(70.7%) had drainage abnormalities. General or circumscribed peritonitis were developed in 25(61.0%) EAF patients, and fever occurred in 39(95.1%) EAF cases. There were 13(68.4%) cases with sinus or fistula formation and 9(47.4%) with rectovaginal fistula in DAF group, in contrast to 5 (12.2%) and 5 (12.2%) in EAF group respectively. In DAF group, 5 (26.3%) patients received follow-up due to stoma (no closure), 5 (26.3%) received bedside surgical drainage, while 9(47.4%) patients underwent operation, including diverting stoma in 3 patients, Hartmann procedure in 1 case, intersphincteric resection, coloanal anastomosis plus ileostomy in 1case because of pelvic fibrosis and stenosis of neorectum after radiotherapy, mucosal advancement flap repair with a cellular matrix interposition in 3 rectovaginal fistula cases, incision of sinus via the anus in 1 case. During a median follow-up of 28 months, 14(73.7%) DAF patients were cured.

CONCLUSIONSIt is advisable to be cautious that patients with lower site of tumor and anastomosis, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and preventive stoma are at risk of DAF. DAF is clinically silent and most patients can be cured by effective surgical treatment.

Anal Canal ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; Anastomotic Leak ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Colostomy ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Ileostomy ; Length of Stay ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Organ Sparing Treatments ; Postoperative Complications ; diagnosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Rectovaginal Fistula ; Rectum ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Surgical Flaps ; Surgical Stomas ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
Adult ; Antineoplastic Agents/*adverse effects ; Antitubercular Agents/therapeutic use ; Biopsy ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/*drug therapy/pathology/surgery ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate/*adverse effects ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial/*chemically induced/diagnosis ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/*isolation & purification ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors/*adverse effects ; Rectal Neoplasms/*drug therapy/pathology/surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology

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

PURPOSE: The expression of p53 in patients with rectal cancer who underwent preoperative chemoradiationand and its potential prognostic significance were evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: p53 expression was examined using immunohistochemistry in pathologic specimens from 210 rectal cancer patients with preoperative chemoradiotherapy and radical surgery. All patients were classified into two groups according to the p53 expression: low p53 (<50% nuclear staining) and high p53 (> or =50%) groups. RESULTS: p53 expression was significantly associated with tumor location from the anal verge (p=0.036). In univariate analysis, p53 expression was not associated with disease-free survival (p=0.118) or local recurrence-free survival (p=0.089). Multivariate analysis showed that tumor distance from the anal verge (p=0.006), ypN category (p=0.011), and perineural invasion (p=0.048) were independent predictors of disease-free survival; tumor distance from the anal verge was the only independent predictor of local recurrence-free survival. When the p53 groups were subdivided according to ypTNM category, disease-free survival differed significantly in patients with ypN+ disease (p=0.027) only. CONCLUSION: Expression of p53 in pathologic specimens as measured by immunohistochemical methods may have a significant prognostic impact on survival in patients with ypN+ rectal cancer with preoperative chemoradiotherapy. However, it was not an independent predictor of recurrence or survival.
Adult ; Aged ; *Chemoradiotherapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; *Preoperative Care ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms/diagnosis/*metabolism/surgery/*therapy ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/analysis/immunology/*metabolism