Sessile adenomas of the rectum: a personal series 1974-1984.
Sessile (villous) tumours of the rectum are uncommon and individual surgeons are unlikely to have wide experience in their management. A study was made of a unique personal series (AMC) of 104 cases encountered from 1974 to 1984; minimum duration of follow-up was 5 years. Clinically obvious rectal cancers were excluded from the study. Ages ranged from 42 to 89 years (mean 64.9 years) with a male:female ratio of 1.5:1. The commonest clinical presentations of sessile tumours of the rectum were rectal bleeding (45%) and altered bowel habit (38%). Hypokalaemia was a very uncommon presenting symptom (1%). These tumours ranged in longitudinal diameter from 1 to 9 cm, with 66% of cases greater than 3 cm and 33% of cases greater than 5 cm. The incidence of malignancy in sessile adenomas greater than 3 cm (27%) was more than triple that of adenomas less than 3 cm (8%) and the presence of induration on rectal examination was the most reliable clinical indicator of the presence of malignancy. Local transanal diathermy excision was a satisfactory form of treatment for most sessile tumours of the rectum (benign and malignant); especially if they were less than 3 cm (0% recurrence rate). It had the added advantage of preserving the anal sphincter and was possible in a higher proportion of sessile tumours in the lower half of the rectum (89%) than those in the upper half of the rectum (42%). The overall recurrence rate after local transanal excision was 8% for benign sessile adenomas and 33% for those containing invasive carcinoma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Tjandra
J J
JJ
Colorectal Unit, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria.
Cuthbertson
A M
AM
Penfold
C
C
D000236:Adenoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003972:Diathermy / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology