title: TEM in the treatment of recurrent rectal cancer in elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transanal microscopic surgery is an important application of minimally invasive surgery of rectum, allowing realization of complex transanal intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the period between January 2002 and December 2010, seven patients, five men and two women, average age 75 years, with early rectal cancer recurrence were selected for this type of surgical palliative procedure. The selection of the patients is made by: transrectal ultrasonography, colonoscopy and abdominal ultrasonografy, to rule out liver metastases, CT with and without enema, PET CT. Follow-up is approximately 12-30 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pathologic staging confirms the complete excision of recurrences. Then patients are referred for more complementary therapies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The significance of conservative treatment for local recurrence of rectum adenocarcinoma is still controversial because the recurrence is an expression of tumor spread not controlled by oncological surgical and radio/chemo therapy
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In selected subjects such as the elderly, based on equal oncological treatment, the reduction of surgical trauma, preservation of anatomical integrity and resolution of symptoms are important results.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quarto
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sivero
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benassai
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bucci
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Desiato
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perrotta
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benassai
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Massa
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery*; D011351:Proctoscopy; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*