title: Sphincter-sparing surgery after preoperative radiotherapy for low rectal cancers: feasibility, oncologic results and quality of life outcomes.
abstract: The present study assesses the choice of surgical procedure, oncologic results and quality of life (QOL) outcomes in a retrospective cohort of 53 patients with low-lying rectal cancers (within 6 cm of the anal verge) treated surgically following preoperative radiotherapy (RT, median dose 45Gy) with or without concomitant 5-fluorouracil. QOL was assessed in 23 patients by using two questionnaires developed by the QOL Study Group of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer: EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-CR38. After a median interval of 29 days from completion of RT, abdominoperineal resection (APR) was performed in 29 patients (55%), low anterior resection in 23 patients (20 with coloanal anastomosis) and transrectal excision in one patient. The 3-year actuarial overall survival and locoregional control rates were 71.4% and 77.5% respectively, with no differences observed between patients operated by APR or restorative procedures. For all scales of EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-CR38, no significant differences in median scores were observed between the two surgical groups. Although patients having had APR tended to report a lower body image score (P = 0.12) and more sexual dysfunction in male patients, all APR patients tended to report better physical function, future perspective and global QOL. In conclusion, sphincter-sparing surgery after preoperative RT seems to be feasible, in routine practice, in a significant proportion of low rectal cancers without compromising the oncologic results. However, prospective studies are mandatory to confirm this finding and to clarify the putative QOL advantages of sphincter-conserving approaches.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Allal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bieri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pelloni
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Spataro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anchisi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ambrosetti
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sprangers
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kurtz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gertsch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil