Abdominoperineal extralevator resection.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Abdominoperineal resection for distal rectal cancer is associated with a higher recurrence rate and a poorer overall prognosis than anterior resection. In order to improve the outcome, a more extensive procedure - extralevator abdominoperineal resection - has been introduced. There are, however, currently no prospective or registry-based studies on the effect of this new procedure on local recurrence rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Abdominoperineal extralevator resection (APER) is a registry-based Swedish study investigating local recurrence rate three years postoperatively in the entire population of Swedish patients who underwent abdominoperineal resection or extralevator abdominoperineal resection in the 2007-2009-period. In addition to local recurrence rates, the study also investigates the functional and quality-of-life-related outcome 3-4 years postoperatively in the entire study population. DISCUSSION: Distal rectal cancer is a surgical and oncological challenge. The APER study will be able to compare the two operative techniques (standard abdominoperineal resection or extralevator abdominoperineal resection) in terms of oncological and functional outcome. FUNDING: not relevant. TRIAL REGISTRATION The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT01296984.