title: Does a correlation exist between tumor occupation rate and Dukes classification in rectal cancer?
abstract: This study was undertaken to evaluate the correlation between tumor occupation rate and stage in rectal cancer patients. 210 patients with histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the rectum were evaluated. Retrospectively, we divided the subjects' pathological specimens into four groups: group A, tumor occupied less than one fourth of the colic lumen; group B, tumor occupied one fourth to one half of the colic lumen; group C, tumor occupied one half to three quarters of the colic lumen; group D, tumor occupied more than three quarters of the colic lumen. As the tumor occupation rate increased, more invasive cases were observed. Patients of group A had significantly longer survival than those of the other groups. Tumor occupation rates correlated significantly with the Dukes classification (r = 0.546, P < 0.0001). Tumor occupation rate is a primitive method but an easy and inexpensive technique for judging tumor stage. This method can assist in preoperative evaluation, thereby reducing the need for other redundant methods.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan. shoshino@fukuoka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Seiichirou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mikami
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noritomi
authors.forename: Yuuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirakusa
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies