title: A method of reporting radial invasion and surgical clearance of rectal carcinoma.
abstract: Fifty rectal carcinomas resected during a 24-month period were examined by whole-mount giant sections. By light microscopy, the distance of maximal tumour invasion (penetration) into the bowel wall and the surgical clearance were measured by a new standardized method. The outer border of the muscularis propria and the line of surgical excision were used as the reference points. Preliminary results suggest that there is a significant inverse correlation between tumour penetration and radial surgical clearance. The adequacy of radial surgical clearance may affect the risk of local recurrence, and may prove useful as a prognostic indicator.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery