title: Total mesorectal excision with autonomic nerve preservation: a new foundation for the evaluation of multi-disciplinary adjuvant therapy in the management of rectal cancers.
abstract: Local and distant recurrence rates and disease-free and overall survival are markedly improved by total mesorectal excision, with little increase in morbidity, compared with other techniques of resection of rectal cancer. Adjuvant therapy is associated with significant morbidity and initial results suggest it may not be beneficial in the aggregate. Adjuvant therapy must be re-evaluated in trials using TME as standard operative technique. Different subgroups of patients, defined by clinical and pathological criteria will be best served by different forms of therapy and should be studied based on rates of local and distant recurrence. Selected groups of patients will be best served by undergoing no adjuvant therapy of any kind.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kafka
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Enker
mesh_terms: D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000601:surgery; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D012007:Rectum / Q000601:surgery*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome