The inguinal lymph nodes as regional lymph nodes in anal canal adenocarcinomas: a nationwide database analysis in Japan.

PURPOSE: To establish if it is appropriate to treat the inguinal lymph node (LN) of anal canal adenocarcinoma (ACA) as the intermediate LN according to the Japanese classification. METHODS: The characteristics of 346 ACA patients were examined from the nationwide registry. The effect of LN dissection was evaluated using the therapeutic value index (TVI). Furthermore, the prognostic classification ability of N factors and stage was evaluated using Akaike's information criterion (AIC), the concordance index (C-index), and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate. RESULTS: The rate of metastasis of the inguinal LN was 7.5% and the TVI was 3.05. Evaluation using AIC and the C-index showed better results when the inguinal LN was treated as the intermediate LN. The 5-year OS rate for 66 patients with perirectal or intermediate LN metastasis, 7 with inguinal LN metastasis, and 13 with inguinal and perirectal or intermediate LN metastasis were 49.2%, 68.6%, and 47.6%, respectively. When inguinal LN metastases were treated as N3, the 5-year OS rates were 66.7% for those with T1N3 and T2N3 disease, and 49.2% for those with T3N3 disease. CONCLUSIONS: The inguinal LN of ACA was evaluated and staged as the intermediate LN to devise an appropriate treatment strategy.

Characteristics of anal canal squamous cell carcinoma as an HPV-associated cancer in Japan.

The definition of the anal canal was revised in the TNM classification (8th edition). The Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum (JSCCR) conducted a retrospective multi-institutional study to clarify the characteristics of anal canal cancer (ACC) in Japan. The diagnoses of 1781 patients treated for ACC were squamous cell carcimoma (SCC; n = 428; 24.0%), adenosquamous cell carcinoma (n = 7; 0.4%), and adenocarcinoma (n = 1260; 70.7%). Anal carcinoma is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and is risk factor for anal SCC. Among 40 cases analyzed at Takano Hospital and 47 cases analyzed at National Cancer Center Hospital, 34 cases (85.0%) and 40 cases (85.1%), respectively were infected with HPV; HPV-16 was the most common genotype (79.4% and 82.5%). In the JSCCR retrospective multi-institutional study, the prognosis analysis by stage was performed for anal SCC cases (202 cases treated by CRT and 91 cases treated by surgery). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates by stage did not differ between the two treatment groups to a statistically significant extent. Regarding the results of cancer treatment of patients who underwent HPV infection tests, although the 5-year OS rates by stage did not differ to a statistically significant extent due to the small number of cases, HPV-positive patients had better survival. While an HPV vaccine for anal canal SCC has already been approved internationally, HPV vaccination has already been implemented in Japan as a national immunization program for young women but not for men at present. An HPV vaccination for men is urgently needed.

Correction to: Long-term results of intersphincteric resection for low rectal cancer in Japan.

In the original publication Fig. 2 and Table 4 were incorrectly published. The corrected figure and table are given in this Correction.

Long-term results of intersphincteric resection for low rectal cancer in Japan.

Intersphincteric resection (ISR) is the ultimate sphincter-preserving procedure for low rectal cancer. A questionnaire about the standardization of ISR was given to 2125 patients who underwent curative ISR for low rectal cancer between 2005 and 2012 at 127 affiliated institutions of the Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum (JSCCR), and the results were compared with the results of a systematic review. The findings revealed that although mortality and morbidity were relatively low and the survival rate after ISR was good, the rates of local recurrence and postoperative fecal incontinence were relatively high. The radicality of ISR was compared with that of abdominoperineal resection and low anterior resection using the propensity score matching prognosis analysis of patients in the JSCCR nationwide registry. The local recurrence rate was significantly higher after ISR, and especially high in patients with T3 (invasion into the external anal sphincter) and T4 disease. These results provide evidence about the factors related to fecal incontinence after ISR. As measures for the standardization of ISR, it is important to reconfirm that ISR is not indicated for patients with cT3 and cT4 disease and those with poor preoperative defecatory function, based on the ISR indication criteria.

A Retrospective Critique of the Various Sphincter-preserving Surgical Procedures for Ischiorectal Fistula.

In the 1950s, the cause of anal fistulas was identified as an infection of the anal gland (cryptoglandular infection theory). Thereafter, treatment for this disorder began in the 1960s with the lay-open procedure, which involved incising the sphincter and the fistula tract. However, it was found that too much invasion into the sphincter could result in postoperative fecal incontinence. Thus, to reduce such risk, sphincter-preserving surgery was applied for superficial anal fistula in 1961 and for deep anal fistula (ischiorectal fistula) in 1965. Over the years, more effective sphincter-preserving procedures for ischiorectal fistula have been developed to improve the quality of life of the patient. In this review article, we aim to first introduce the basic surgical techniques for ischiorectal fistula. We will discuss the anatomy of the anus and the pathogenesis of ischiorectal fistula and will provide some diagnostic methods. Representative sphincter-preserving procedures that have been performed for ischiorectal fistula since 1965 will also be categorized and outlined chronologically. The discussion will look at the following techniques for ischiorectal fistula and outline the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure so that they can be used as a reference for ischiorectal fistula surgery in the future: the lay-open procedure (fistulotomy and fistulectomy), the Hanley procedure (first partial sphincter-preserving procedure), the muscle-filling procedure, the Moriya method and Ui method (modified partial sphincter-preserving procedure), the Takano method and the sphincter-preserving lateral procedure (complete sphincter-preserving procedure), the seton method (a cross between the lay-open procedure and sphincter-preserving procedure), and the overseas sphincter-preserving procedure.

Long-term results of intersphincteric resection for low rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Intersphincteric resection has been performed as an alternative to abdominoperineal resection for low rectal cancer. The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term results after intersphincteric resection in terms of the morbidity, oncologic safety, and defecatory function. METHODS: Between 1994 and 2006, 107 consecutive patients with low rectal cancer had curative intersphincteric resection, categorized as total, subtotal, or partial resection of the internal anal sphincter. RESULTS: There were no mortalities. Neorectal mucosal prolapse in patients with total intersphincteric resection and coloanal anastomotic stenosis in patients with subtotal or partial intersphincteric resection were observed as characteristic late complications. The five-year disease-free survival rates classified according to the TNM stage were 100 percent for stage I, 83.5 percent for stage II, and 72.0 percent for stage III cases. The five-year cumulative local recurrence rate after intersphincteric resection was 2.5 percent. Defecatory function, which was evaluated by bowel movement in a 24-hour period, and continence after intersphincteric resection were objectively good. The results of the multivariate analysis revealed that age was the only factor associated with a risk of fecal incontinence. CONCLUSION: Provided strict selection criteria are used, intersphincteric resection may be the optimal sphincter-preserving surgery for low rectal cancer.