title: Is it safe the reversal of a diverting stoma during adjuvant chemotherapy in elderly rectal cancer patients?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes between 2 groups of elderly rectal cancer patients according to the time duration after which their diverting stoma can be reversed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 124 patients who were ≥65 years old and had undergone diverting stoma after rectal cancer surgery. In Group 1, the reversal of the stoma was predominantly performed after the sixth adjuvant chemotherapy. In Group 2, the reversal was predominantly performed after the third adjuvant chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean duration for which patients had a stoma was 28.6 ± 9.9 weeks in Group 1 and 17.1 ± 7.4 weeks in Group 2. The interval between stoma formation and stoma formation-related complications was slightly longer in Group 1 than in Group 2 (13.5 ± 9.7 vs. 8.0 ± 4.9 weeks, p = 0.075). There were 16 stoma-related complications in Group 1 (23.2%) and 10 in Group 2 (18.2%) (p = 0.516). There were 6 stoma closure-related complications in Group 1 (8.8%) and 6 in Group 2 (10.9%) (p = 0.766).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that stoma closure during adjuvant chemotherapy is no more harmful than stoma closure after termination of adjuvant chemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It may be possible to limit the duration of diverting stoma following rectal cancer surgery, even if patients are elderly and undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 93-6, Ji-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 442-723, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bong-Hyeon
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kye
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 93-6, Ji-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 442-723, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jun-Gi
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 93-6, Ji-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 442-723, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hmcho@catholic.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hyeon-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D058107:Abdominal Wound Closure Techniques; D000368:Aged; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D054047:Surgical Stomas / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Adjuvant chemotherapy; Diverting stoma; Rectal cancer; Stoma closure; Stoma-related complications