Results of Transanal Local Excision for Rectal Cancer

Park, Kyu Joo; Park, Jae Gahb

Abstract

Local excision for rectal cancer can yield comparable results to traditional radical operations in selected group of patients. We have retrospectively analyzed 32 cases of rectal cancer patients treated by transanal local excision for curative intent at the Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital between 1990 to 1996. These 32 cases represent 4.1% of total rectal cancer patients treated during the same period. Mean age of the patients were 57.0+/-11.8 years. Median tumor size was 2 cm(mean : 2.4+/-1.1 cm), and the median distance from the anal verge to the lower margin of the tumors was 5 cm(mean : 5.1+/-1.7 cm). Deepest layer invaded by cancer was as follows: mucosa, 31.3%; submucosa, 56.3%; muscularis propria, 9.4%; subserosa, 3.1%. Sixty-nine percent of the patients had well differentiated tumors and 31% had moderately differentiated tumors, while none of the cancers were poorly differentiated. No patient received any adjuvant therapy. After a median follow-up of 21 (range: 1~83) months, no local recurrence occurred in any of the patients. Our results indicate that transanal local excision can be performed with favorable outcome in selected group of rectal cancer patients.