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 ultrasonografy, 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: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perrotta
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quarto
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Desiato
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benassai
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benassai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery*; D011351:Proctoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*