Abdominoperineal excision with partial anterior en bloc resection in multimodal management of low rectal cancer: a strategy to reduce local recurrence.
OBJECTIVE
Total mesorectal excision is the gold standard in the performance of an abdominoperineal resection but little has changed in the way the perineal operation is performed. A frequent problem is anterior dissection. The aim of this study was to present the results of abdominoperineal resection using selected partial anterior en bloc resection to reduce recurrence.


METHODS
The data were population-based and prospectively registered. Two experienced surgeons performed the operations. In selected cases, depending on clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings, parts of the vagina or prostate close to the tumor were resected. All specimens were examined according to Quirke.


RESULTS
Sixty-three patients underwent abdominoperineal resection with total mesorectal excision; 56 received preoperative radiotherapy. The tumors involved the anterior bowel wall in 40 cases and in 23 (58 percent) of them, en bloc resections were performed. The distance from the tumor to the conventional resection margin (without en bloc resection) was 0 mm in ten cases. The median follow-up period was 37 months. So far, one (1.7 percent) local recurrence has been detected in 58 (92 percent) curative and indeterminate cases. The cancer-specific five-year survival in these cases was 87 percent (Kaplan-Meier).


CONCLUSIONS
A multimodal management regimen in patients with low rectal cancer, including preoperative radiotherapy and abdominoperineal resection with a high frequency of partial en bloc resection of the vagina or prostate, resulted in excellent local control and survival. In some male patients, excenteration with urinary stoma can be avoided.
Smedh
Kennet
K
Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery and Centre for Clinical Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. kennet.smedh@ltv.se
Khani
Maziar Hosseinali
MH
Kraaz
Wolfgang
W
Raab
Yngve
Y
Strand
Eva
E
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004210:Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010502:Perineum / Q000601:surgery*; D011467:Prostate / Q000601:surgery; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014621:Vagina / Q000601:surgery