Population-based study of local surgery for rectal cancer

• Background: The aim was to determine long-term survival and recurrence rates after local excision of rectal cancer from a prospectively registered population-based database. Methods: Swedish Rectal Cancer Registry data from 1995 to 2001, including 10181 patients of whom 643 (6-3 per cent) had a local excision, were analysed. Complete 5-year follow-up data from 1995 to 1998 were available. Cumulative relative and cancer-specific survival rates, and rates of local recurrence and distant metastases, were calculated by actuarial methods. Results: The 5-year cancer-specific survival rate for 256 patients with stage I disease who had local excision was 95-3 (95 per cent confidence interval 91-5 to 99-1) per cent. The 5-year local recurrence rate was 7-2 per cent. After adjustment for age, sex, tumour stage and preoperative radiotherapy, the relative risk of death from cancer was the same as that after major resection. Conclusion: Population-based results after local excision of rectal cancer are the same as those reported in controlled series for early-stage tumours after abdominal resection. A low relative survival and a high median age indicate the use of local excision in patients with a high level of co-morbidity. To achieve acceptable long-term results, optimal preoperative and postoperative staging is needed.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kirurgi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Surgery (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Rectal disease

Anorectal disease

Malignant tumor

Intestinal disease

Digestive diseases

Rectum cancer

Treatment

Medicine

Surgery

Population

Public health

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)