title: The pattern of colorectal cancer surgery in Lithuania in 2005: do results meet expectations?
abstract: The aim of this study was to expose the pattern of the surgical treatment of colorectal cancer in Lithuania in 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 590 patients treated for colorectal cancer in the surgical departments of the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, the Institute of Oncology of Vilnius University, and Vilnius University Hospital Santariškių Klinikos in 2005 was performed. Demographic data, preoperative evaluation, postoperative complications assessed according to the Clavien-Dindo classification, the quality of pathological examination, and survival rates were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 590 patients, 269 women (45.6%) and 321 men (54.4%), were included in this study; the mean age was 68.3 years (SD, 11.2). Tumors were found in the colon of 274 patients (46.4%) and in the rectum of 316 patients (53.6%). An abdominal ultrasound scan was preoperatively performed in 516 patients (87.5%) and a chest x-ray in 316 patients (53.6%); 35 patients (5.9%) underwent abdominal computed tomography. Endorectal ultrasound was done in 99 (31.7%) cases. Neoadjuvant radiotherapy for T3 and T4 rectal tumors was applied in 42 cases (18.1%). Besides, 211 patients (35.8%) developed postoperative complications with an anastomotic leak emerging in 20 cases (3.4%). Death occurred in 7 patients (1.18%). On the average, 11.15 lymph nodes (SD, 6.02) were found in pathological specimens. Circumferential resection margins were assessed in 58 cases (18.4%). The overall 5-year survival rate was 52.06%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The preoperative evaluation and the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer were not sufficiently consistent in Lithuania in 2005. In order to improve the treatment of colorectal cancer, standardization or the national database of colorectal cancer is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Abdominal Surgery, Clinic of Gastroenterology, Nephrourology and Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania. eligijus.poskus@santa.lt
authors.forename: Eligijus
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poškus
authors.forename: Saulius
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mikalauskas
authors.forename: Valdemaras
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jotautas
authors.forename: Paulius
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Žeromskas
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poškus
authors.forename: Kęstutis
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strupas
authors.forename: Narimantas Evaldas
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Samalavičius
authors.forename: Marius
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lasinskas
authors.forename: Andrius
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sklepavičius
authors.forename: Algimantas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamelis
authors.forename: Žilvinas
authors.initials: Ž
authors.lastname: Saladžinskas
authors.forename: Dainius
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavalkis
authors.forename: Audronė
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jakaitienė
authors.forename: Giedrė
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smailytė
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies