[Prognostic factors of stage II rectal cancer].
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to verify the prognostic factors of stage II rectal cancer and the effect of radiation therapy on the survival and local recurrence rate.


METHODS
This study was undertaken in 202 patients who underwent curative resection of rectal cancer and confirmed to be stage II between July 1989 and December 1996. Univariate and multivariate (Cox's model) analyses of survival were employed to identify prognostic factors. Statistical significance was assigned by p value of <0.05.


RESULTS
Overall recurrence occurred in 32 patients. Four patterns of recurrence were observed: hematogenous recurrence in 17 patients, local recurrence in 11, peritoneal seeding in two and simultaneous hematogenous and local recurrence in two cases. Overall 5-year survival rate was 85.6% and 5 year disease free survival rate was 82.8%. There was no significant difference in local recurrence rate and survival according to radiation therapy or location of cancer. In multivariate analysis, the number of harvested lymph node was only a prognostic factor.


CONCLUSIONS
The number of harvested lymph nodes has prognostic value in stage II rectal cancer. Postoperative radiation therapy should be considered for stage II rectal cancer with poor prognostic factors although radiation did not decrease local recurrence rate in present study.
Park
In J
IJ
Department of Surgery, Colorectal Clinic, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Hee C
HC
Kim
Tae W
TW
Kim
Jong H
JH
Kim
Jung S
JS
Kim
Jung R
JR
Yu
Chang S
CS
Kim
Jin C
JC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*