Long-term Oncologic Outcome After Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery for Rectal Carcinoma. Issue 1 (January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Junginger, Theodor; Goenner, Ursula; Hitzler, Mirjam; Trinh, Tong T.; Heintz, Achim; Wollschlaeger, Daniel; Blettner, Maria
• Is Part Of: Diseases of the colon & rectum. Volume 59:Issue 1(2016:Jan.)
• Publication Date: 2016-01
• Subjects: Cancer-specific survival -- Distant metastasis -- Local recurrence -- Rectal cancer -- Transanal endoscopic microsurgery; Colon (Anatomy) -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Rectum -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Colonic Diseases -- Periodicals; Colorectal Surgery -- Periodicals; 616.34
• DOI: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000000509
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0012-3706

Abstract

Abstract : BACKGROUND: Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is superior to other methods of local excision of rectal cancer, but few studies report long-term follow-up data. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the use of transanal endoscopic microsurgery alone as curative and compromise therapy based on long-term disease recurrence and mortality. DESIGN: This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected data. SETTINGS: The study was conducted at a tertiary care university medical center. PATIENTS: The study included 133 patients treated between 1985 and 2007. There were 3 groups, including transanal endoscopic microsurgery in curative intent (low-risk rectal carcinoma, including pT1, G1/2, L0, and LX with clear margins and a minimal distance between tumor and resection margin of >1 mm (N = 64) or clear margins only (N = 18 ))) and as compromise therapy (high-risk or incompletely resected rectal carcinoma; N = 51). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Log-rank tests were used to compare overall and cancer-specific survival. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 8.6 years (range, 0.2–25.1 years), and a total of 131 of 133 patients (98.5%) were followed >5 years or until death. The preoperative diagnosis of carcinoma was not associated with belonging into 1 of the 3 categories. In patients with low-risk completely (>1 mm) resected carcinoma, the 5- and 10-year local recurrence rates were 6.6% and 11.6%. In patients with high-risk or incompletely resected carcinoma, the rates were 32.5% and 35.0% ( p = 0.006). The 5- and 10-year cancer-specific survival rates for low-risk patients were 98.0% and 91.0% and 84.3% and 74.3% for high-risk patients ( p = 0.05). LIMITATIONS: The study was limited by its retrospective design and small subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: The high cancer-specific survival justifies transanal endoscopic microsurgery alone as curative treatment in low-risk rectal carcinoma. Complete resection is essential to lower the risk of local recurrence. The high local recurrence rate in patients with high-risk rectal carcinoma restricts the use of TEM alone as compromise therapy.