Total mesorectal excision for surgical treatment of rectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the results of 2 groups of patients admitted and treated for rectal cancer.


METHODS
One hundred and fifty-one patients were available for evaluation. Eighty (group A) were radically operated with the standard technique; 71 (group B) underwent total mesorectal excision (TME). Groups were similar according to demographics, staging, and pathological data. Mean follow-up was 73.5 months.


RESULTS
No operative mortality was observed. Complications were 15% in group A and 32% in group B. Local recurrence rates were 41.2% in group A and 12.6% in group B. Distant metastases occurred in 21.2% and 7.6%, respectively, in groups A and B. Cancer-related mortality was 62.5% in the non-TME group and 19.5% in the TME group. Overall 5-year survival rates were 32.4% in group A and 70.5% in group B. Disease-free survival rates were 25% in group A and 62.3% in group B.


CONCLUSIONS
TME appears to lower the incidence of cancer-related mortality, with a higher incidence of postoperative complications. Further studies need to be done to assess the real benefits of TME in the surgical treatment of rectal cancer.
Bolognese
A
A
Department of Surgery "Pietro Valdoni" C.I.M.S., Policlinico Umberto I, University of Rome "La Sapienza," Rome, Italy. bol.clch@tiscalinet.it
Cardi
M
M
Muttillo
I A
IA
Barbarosos
A
A
Bocchetti
T
T
Valabrega
S
S
D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012007:Rectum / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods; D015996:Survival Rate