Purpose Current international guidelines recommend neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by total mesorectal excision (TME) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Although nCRT reduces the risk of local recurrence, it has not demonstrated a survival advantage and increases the likelihood of preoperative overtreatment. This study investigated whether upfront TME could be offered without compromising oncologic outcomes.
Methods From January 2015 to December 2020, patients with stage II/III LARC who underwent either upfront TME or nCRT followed by TME were analyzed using propensity score matching. Long-term survival outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. The primary endpoint was 5-year disease-free survival. Secondary endpoints included 5-year local recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and overall survival.
Results A total of 348 patients were included, of whom 138 (39.7%) underwent upfront TME. The upfront TME group showed significantly higher 5-year disease-free survival (63.3% vs. 43.9%) and distant metastasis-free survival (88.1% vs. 70.3%). However, after excluding patients with preoperative mesorectal fascia (MRF) involvement, no significant differences were observed in long-term oncologic outcomes. Following 1:1 propensity score matching, 47 patients from each group were compared. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed no significant differences in any endpoints. Cox regression analysis of the matched cohort indicated that preoperative MRF involvement, positive extramural vascular invasion, and tumor deposits were not independent prognostic factors.
Conclusion Upfront TME may represent a viable treatment option for selected patients with LARC, particularly those without MRF involvement, providing comparable oncologic outcomes to the standard nCRT approach.
Purpose Despite advances in neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and anal sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer, bowel dysfunction is still unavoidable and negatively affects patients’ quality of life. In this longitudinal study, we aimed to investigate the changes in bowel function with follow-up time and the effect of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy on bowel function following low anterior resection for rectal cancer.
Methods In this study, 171 patients with upper or middle rectal cancer who underwent low anterior resection between 2012 and 2018 were included. Bowel function was assessed longitudinally with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Bowel Function Instrument and Wexner scores every 6 months after restoration of bowel continuity. Patients with at least 2 follow-up visits were included.
Results Overall, 100 patients received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Urgency, soilage, and fecal incontinence were noted within 24 months in the patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. After 2 years of follow-up, significant bowel dysfunction and fecal incontinence were observed in the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy group. Low tumor level and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy were associated with delayed bowel dysfunction.
Conclusion Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in combination with low tumor level was significantly associated with delayed bowel dysfunction even after 2 years of follow-up. Therefore, careful selection and discussion with patients are paramount.
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Malignant disease, Rectal cancer,Prognosis and adjuvant therapy,Colorectal cancer
Purpose We aimed to evaluate the surgicopathological outcomes of lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLD) and long-term oncological outcomes of selective LPLD after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer and compare them to those of total mesorectal excision (TME) alone based on pretreatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Methods We compared the TME-alone group (2001–2009, n=102) with the TME with LPLD group (2011–2016, n=69), both groups having lateral lymph nodes (LLNs) of ≥5 mm in short axis diameter. The surgicopathological outcomes were analyzed retrospectively. Oncological outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Results The rates of overall postoperative 30-day morbidity (42.0% vs. 26.5%, P=0.095) and urinary retention (13.7% vs. 10.1%, P=0.484) were not significantly different between the LPLD and TME-alone groups, respectively. Pathologically proven LLN metastasis was identified in 24 (34.8%) LPLD cases after nCRT. The LPLD group showed a lower 5-year local recurrence (LR) rate (27.9% vs. 4.6%, P<0.001) and better recurrence-free survival (RFS) (59.6% vs. 78.2%, P=0.008) than those of the TME-alone group, while the 5-year overall survival was not significantly different between the 2 groups (76.2% vs. 86.5%, P=0.094).
Conclusion This study suggests that LPLD is a safe and feasible procedure. The oncological outcomes suggest that selective LPLD improves LR and RFS in patients with clinically suspicious LLNs on pretreatment MRI. Considering that lateral nodal disease is not common, a multicenter large-scale study is necessary.
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Purpose Current acceptance of the watch-and-wait (W&W) approach by surgeons in Asia-Pacific countries is unknown. An international survey was performed to determine status of the W&W approach on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Coloproctology (APFCP).
Methods Surgeons in the APFCP completed an Institutional Review Board-approved anonymous e-survey and/or printed letters (for China) containing 19 questions regarding nonsurgical close observation in patients who achieved clinical complete response (cCR) to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT).
Results Of the 417 responses, 80.8% (n = 337) supported the W&W approach and 65.5% (n = 273) treated patients who achieved cCR after nCRT. Importantly, 78% of participants (n = 326) preferred a selective W&W approach in patients with old age and medical comorbidities who achieved cCR. In regard to restaging methods after nCRT, the majority of respondents based their decision to use W&W on a combination of magnetic resonance imaging results (94.5%, n = 394) with other test results. For interval between nCRT completion and tumor response assessment, most participants used 8 weeks (n = 154, 36.9%), followed by 6 weeks (n = 127, 30.5%) and 4 weeks (n = 102, 24.5%). In response to the question of how often responders followed-up after W&W, the predominant period was every 3 months (209 participants, 50.1%) followed by every 2 months (75 participants, 18.0%). If local regrowth was found during follow-up, most participants (79.9%, n = 333) recommended radical surgery as an initial management.
Conclusion The W&W approach is supported by 80% of Asia-Pacific surgeons and is practiced at 65%, although heterogeneous hospital or society protocols are also observed. These results inform oncologists of future clinical study participation.
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