Treatment strategies for patients with stage IV rectal cancer : a report from the Swedish Rectal Cancer Registry

• Background: The optimal treatment strategy for patients with stage IV rectal cancer is unclear. The aim of the present study was to describe trends and compare the different treatment strategies for this group of patients at a national level and over time.Methods: Data from 2758 rectal cancer patients with (stage IV group) and 13 420 without metastases (stage I-III group) were available from the Swedish Rectal Cancer Registry between January 1995 and December 2006.Results: Patients with stage IV disease increased from 15 to 19 per cent between 1995 and 2006 (p<0.001) and the frequency of patients not operated increased from 13 to 26 per cent (p<0.001). Postoperative 30 day mortality after bowel resection was 2 per cent and after exploratory laparotomy 9 per cent. Median survival for stage IV patients operated with bowel resection was 16.3 months, an exploratory laparotomy 6.1 months, and for patients having no surgery 4.6 months. Patients aged 60-69 years increased their survival over time, irrespective of the treatment given. In the multivariate analysis, an increased risk of death was associated with: age > 80 years, operation at a local hospital, treatment in earlier time periods, not receiving preoperative radio- or chemotherapy, and not having a bowel resection.Conclusion: Survival for stage IV rectal cancer patients improved in the latest time period despite the great increase in non-operated patients. Patients aged > 80 years should be carefully assessed and staged before surgery. The survival advantage for stage IV rectal cancer patients who underwent primary tumour resection is probably due to selection bias.

Ämnesord

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

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

Nyckelord

Rectal cancer; Stage IV; Surgery; Palliative; Oncology; Survival

Surgery

Kirurgi

Surgery

Kirurgi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)