[Tendencies and results in rectal cancer treatment].
Rectal cancer is one of the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide despite of multimodal treatment.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to review the management strategies for rectal cancer and to determine morbidity after multimodal therapy.


METHODS
Retrospective study about 276 patients with rectal cancer surgically treated in 1st Surgical Clinic of "St. Spiridon" Hospital Iaşi, Romania, between 1998-September 2003.


RESULTS
There were 166 men (60.14%) and 110 women (38.86%) with mean age 63.6 years (extreme 20-81 years). The tumor's staging was: stage I--12 cases (4.5%); stage II--59 cases (21.3%); stage III--134 cases (48.2%), stage IV--71 cases (25.7%). 37 patients (13.4%) received preoperative radiotherapy (20 Gy). The tumor was resectable in 204 cases (74%) with curative purpose in 190 cases (68.8%). The postoperative therapy was performed in 198 cases (71.7%). The postoperative morbidity was documented in 32 cases and 24 patients died during hospitalisation (8.7%). Long-term results are also exposed with a review of literature.


CONCLUSIONS
Rectal cancer has been notoriously difficult to treat successfully but there are numerous attempts modifying existing therapeutic regimens or designing new ones.
Niculescu
D
D
Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie Gr.T. Popa Iaşi, Facultatea de Medicină, Clinica I Chirurgie.
Târcoveanu
E
E
Georgescu
St
S
Lupaşcu
Cr
C
Filip
V
V
Neacşu
C N
CN
Andronic
D
D
Ene
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis