The influence of circumferential resection margins on survival following rectal cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A negative (R0) circumferential resection margin (CRM) is described as one of the most important factor that decrease the rate of local recurrence in rectal cancer. The primary outcome of the study was the status of the CRM, while the secondary outcomes were local recurrence and overall survival. METHODS: Study includes 192 patients with rectal cancer operated between January 2012 and December 2013 in our Institute. The incidence of positive CRM and its impact on the survival rates after oncologic surgical resection were investigated along with factors that determine positive CRM. R1 was defined as a distance of ≤ 1 mm between the tumor and the resection margin. RESULTS: The R1 rate was 3.6 % (7 cases). Nine patients (4.68%) developed local recurrence during a median followup period of 720 days. A positive CRM was found to be a risk factor of local recurrence (p-value = 0.031) and it decreased the overall survival (p-value=0.001). pT4 stage (p-value=0.008) and vascular invasion (p-value=0.005) are factors that play significant roles in determining CRM positivity. In case of inferior rectal tumours abdomino-perineal resection (APR) determines significantly higher (p-value=0.048) rates of positive CRM than anterior resection (AR) of the rectum. CONCLUSIONS: Positive CRM affects overall survival and local recurrence in rectal cancer. pT4 stage and vascular invasion play determinant roles in determine CRM status. APR is a risk factor for positive CRM in inferior rectal tumors. KEY WORDS: Abdomino-perineal resection, Circumferential resection margins, Local recurrence, Rectal cancer, Overall survival.

Rectal cancer: factors predicting short outcomes after radical anterior resection.

AIM: This study analyzes risk factors implicated in postoperative complications and mortality after anterior resection in rectal cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total number of 378 patients with anterior rectal resection, diagnosed with rectal cancer and admitted at the IIIrd Surgery Clinic, "Octavian Fodor" Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Romania, between 2009 and 2016. The inclusion criteria were anterior rectal resections with curative visa for rectal cancer. The complications we assessed are the following: anastomotic fistula, intra-abdominal infections, postoperative bowel obstruction and wound infection. RESULTS: There was statistical significance regarding male gender, emergency hospitalization, hypoproteinemia and the resumption of intestinal transit. Anterior rectal resection of tumors located on the middle rectum was associated with high rate of anastomotic fistula. Patients with manual suture of anastomosis developed intraabdominal abscess more frequently. In the multivariate analysis, hypoproteinemia and a number of lymph nodes >1 remained independently associated with the occurrence of wound infection. The 30-day mortality rate was 4.8% with 18 deaths and morbidity rate 20.6% with 78 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Major complications after radical resection for rectal cancer are dependent on multiple variables such as male patients, those admitted in emergency and patients with hypoproteinemia. Location of tumor on middle rectum, manual suture of anastomosis, number of lymph nodes > 1 were associated with high rate of morbidity. Patients with coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus didn't had statistical significance, but the rate of morbidity and mortality remains high in this groups. KEY WORDS: Complications, Radical anterior resection, Rectal cancer, Risk factors.

Laparoscopic rectal resection versus conventional open approach for rectal cancer - a 4-year experience of a single center.

PURPOSE: This study was carried out to compare the therapeutic outcomes and complications of the laparoscopic and the conventional open surgery technique used for treating rectal cancer. Another goal was to find the fastest and most accurate method of treatment for rectal cancer, along with establishing the advantages and disadvantages of the two surgical techniques, depending on cancer location and its stage. METHODS: A total of 172 patients diagnosed with rectal cancer and hospitalized in the Department of Surgery III between January 1st 2008 and December 31st 2011 were studied. The laparoscopic approach was performed on 29 (16.8%) patients, and the remaining 143 (83.2%) underwent the conventional Miles/Lloyd-Davies abdominoperineal resection. A longitudinal study was conducted on patients with rectal resection, the used data being obtained from the database of the Department of Surgery III, hospital records, protocols and clinical charts of rectal cancer cases. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences regarding symptoms, gender, age, body mass index (BMI), tumor site, TNM stage, intraoperative accidents, operative time, and postoperative mortality between the two groups. The laparoscopic group presented advantages regarding antibiotic and analgesic therapy, early mobilization, hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, resuming oral nutrition, bowel transit resumption, postoperative complications and wound complications. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection for rectal cancer is feasible, safe and effective. It can be safely performed by an experienced team, reducing the rate of postoperative complications, the need for blood transfusions, the adminstration of antibiotics and painkillers, allowing faster bowel transit resumption, shortening hospital stay and providing superior aesthetic results.

Malignant familial adenomatous polyposis treated by laparoscopic colectomy and ileal pouch anal anastomosis: a case report.

The mean age of colorectal cancer in untreated familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is 39 years. We present the case of a 21-year-old patient with FAP and colorectal cancer. The patient was detected with significant family history: her mother died at age 45 with colon cancer; two uncles were diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 40 and 43 and one aunt at the age of 45 with colon cancer and gastric cancer. The treatment was laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy with total excision of the mesorectum and ileal pouch anal anastomosis completed with endoanal excision of inferior rectal polyps. The histopathological report described a well differentiated rectal adenocarcinoma T1N1aMx developed on a tubulo-villous adenoma located on the rectosigmoid jonction, the rest of the polyps with benign histology.