Radical resection of rectal cancer primary tumor provides effective local therapy in patients with stage IV disease

Background The optimal use of radical surgery to palliate primary rectal cancers presenting with synchronous distant metastases is poorly defined. We have reviewed stage IV rectal cancer patients to evaluate the effectiveness of radical surgery without radiation as local therapy. Methods Eighty stage IV patients with resectable primary rectal tumors treated with radical rectal surgery without radiotherapy were identified. Sixty-one (76%) patients received chemotherapy; response information was available for 34 patients. Results Radical resection was accomplished by low anterior resection (n=65), abdominoperineal resection (n=11), and Hartmann’s resection (n=4). Surgical complications were seen in 12 patients (15%), with 1 death and 4 reoperations. The local recurrence rate was 6% (n=5), with a median time to local recurrence of 14 months. Only one patient received pelvic radiotherapy as salvage treatment. One patient required subsequent diverting colostomy. Median survival was 25 months. On multivariate analysis, the extent of metastasis and response to chemotherapy were determinants of prolonged survival. Conclusions For patients who present with distant metastases and resectable primary rectal cancers, radical surgery without radiotherapy can provide durable local control with acceptable morbidity. The extent of metastatic disease and the response to chemotherapy are the major determinants of survival. Effective systemic chemotherapy should be given high priority in the treatment of stage IV rectal cancer.     

Local and systemic control in Ewing's sarcoma of the femur treated with chemotherapy,and locally by radiotherapy and/or surgery

The role of radiotherapy and/or surgery in the local treatment of Ewing's sarcoma has still to be determined. The outcome of Ewing's sarcoma may differ according to its location and a selection bias towards surgery limits the ability to compare methods of local treatment. We have carried out a retrospective review of 91 consecutive patients treated for non-metastatic Ewing's sarcoma of the femur. They received chemotherapy according to four different protocols. The primary lesion was treated by surgery alone (54 patients), surgery and radiotherapy (13) and radiotherapy alone (23). One was treated by chemotherapy alone. At a median follow-up of ten years, 48 patients (53%) remain free from disease, 39 (43%) have relapsed, two (2%) have died from chemotherapeutic toxicity and two (2%) have developed a radio-induced second tumour. The probability of survival without local recurrence was significantly (p = 0.01) higher in patients who were treated by surgery with or without radiotherapy (88%) than for patients who received radiotherapy alone (59%). The five- and ten-year overall survival rates were 64% and 57%, respectively. Patients who were treated by surgery, with or without radiotherapy, had a five- and ten-year overall survival of 64%. Patients who received only radiotherapy had a five- and ten-year survival of 57% and 44%, respectively. Our results indicate that in patients with Ewing's sarcoma of the femur, better local control is achieved by surgical treatment (with or without radiotherapy) compared with the use of radiotherapy alone. Further studies are needed to verify the impact of this strategy on overall survival.     

Results of surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer

We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 34 patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent resection between January 1988 and December 1996. Adjuvant radiotherapy was performed in 24 patients, with 13 receiving both intra- and postoperative radiotherapy, 2 receiving postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) alone, and 9 receiving intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) alone. The 1- and 3-year survival rates for all 34 patients were 59% and 19%, respectively, with a median survival of 13 months. At the time of the analysis, three patients were still alive. Recurrence patterns were assessed in 25 patients who had had no distant metastases at the time of surgery, had survived more than 3 months after surgery, and had undergone close surveillance for recurrence. Based on computed tomography (CT) and autopsy findings, a total of 15 (60%) of these 25 patients had local recurrence, 13 (52%) had liver metastases, and 8 (32%) had both. Eight (62%) of the 13 patients who received IORT and/or PORT developed local recurrence, and we failed to detect any survival advantage of IORT and/or PORT over surgery alone. However, autopsies revealed a suppressive effect of radiation on cancer growth, and local recurrence was not considered to be the direct cause of death in any of the patients, nor did any of the patients develop gastrointestinal obstruction due to local recurrence. The incidence of liver metastasis in the patients with and without tumor invasion of the portal system was 80% (8/10) and 33% (5/15), respectively. The patients who did not develop liver metastasis had significantly longer survivals than who did. Further improvements of survival await effective prophylactic treatment for liver metastases. Received for publication on July 4, 1997; accepted on Aug. 27, 1997     

Role of surgery in the treatment of brain metastases in patients with breast cancer

Background: Patients whose brain metastases from breast cancer are treated nonsurgically have a median length of survival ranging from 2.5 to 7.5 months, and a median time to recurrence ranging from 2 to 5 months. Patients treated with radiotherapy have a median length of survival ranging from 3 to 4 months. Those treated with chemotherapy have a median length of survival ranging from 5.5 to 7.5 months. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis on 63 patients treated over a 10-year period. Only patients who underwent surgery for nonrecurrent brain metastases were studied. Sixty-one patients (97%) underwent surgery within 2 weeks of diagnosis of the brain metastases. Results: The median length of survival was 16 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 11 to 22 months), and the 5-year survival rate was 17% (CI 9% to 29%). Brain metastases recurred in 27 patients at a median interval of 15 months (CI 12 to 24 months). Eleven patients had local recurrence, 10 had distal recurrence, and seven developed leptomeningeal disease. Significant prognosticators of length of survival were age (p=0.011), menopause status (p=0.10), postoperative radiotherapy (p=0.054), preoperative neurologic status (p=0.011), and preoperative systemic disease status (p=0.0003). Systemic disease status had a significant effect on the length of survival but not on the time to recurrence. Presented at the 49th Annual Cancer Symposium of The Society of Surgical Oncology, Atlanta, Georgia, March 21–24, 1996.     

Management of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to report the outcomes of treatment for sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC). METHODS: Between September 1992 and October 2005, 15 patients were treated with curative intent with surgery (n=1), surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy (n=9), and definitive radiotherapy (RT) (n=5). Follow-up ranged from 11 to 151 months (median, 30); follow-up on living patients ranged from 12 to 151 months (median, 22). No patient was lost to follow-up. RESULTS: Seven patients (47%) developed a recurrence from 3 to 50 months (median, 9) after treatment. The 3-year outcomes were: local control, 78%; locoregional control, 65%; distant metastasis-free survival, 82%; cause-specific survival, 77%, and survival, 67%. The local control rates versus treatment modality were: surgery, 0/1 (0%); surgery and postoperative RT, 7/7 (100%); preoperative RT and surgery, 2/2 (100%); and definitive RT, 2/5 (40%). One patient (7%) treated with surgery and postoperative RT sustained a fatal complication. CONCLUSIONS: Combined surgery and adjuvant RT likely offer the best chance of cure compared with either modality alone. The impact of adjuvant chemotherapy is unclear.     

Paranasal sinus tumors: Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute experience

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the local control, pattern of recurrence, overall survival, and prognostic factors of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adenocarcinoma, and undifferentiated carcinoma of the paranasal sinuses (PNS) and nasal cavity (NC) presenting to our center for curative treatment over a 10-year period. METHODS: Between 1991 and 2000, 60 patients with SCC (n = 32), adenocarcinoma (n = 25), and undifferentiated carcinoma (n = 3) of the PNS or NC were identified. Forty patients received surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, four surgery alone; 11, radiotherapy alone; three radical radiotherapy after surgical recurrence; one, chemoradiotherapy and surgery; and one, induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients (78%) were seen with T3-4 disease; however, most (92%) were node negative on initial assessment. The predominant failure pattern was local disease persistence or recurrence. The estimated 2- and 5-year local control rates were 63% and 49%, respectively. Orbital and neural invasion significantly affected local control. The estimated 2- and 5 year overall survival rates were 57% and 40%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Local failure remains the dominant cause for poor outcome in this group of patients. Because of the proximity of critical normal structures, the ability to perform adequate surgery and to deliver effective radiotherapy is limited in many cases. The use of postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy warrants further investigation.     

Long-term results and complications of preoperative radiation in the treatment of rectal cancer

A retrospective study of 149 patients with rectal cancer diagnosed between 1972 and 1979 was undertaken to compare survival, disease-free survival, recurrence sites, and long-term complications of 40 patients who received 4000 to 4500 rads of preoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (radiation group) with those of 109 patients treated by resection alone (control group). After a mean follow-up of 84 months and 99 months, respectively, survival of the irradiated patients was significantly better than that of controls (68% versus 52%, p less than 0.05). Disease-free survival of those patients rendered free of disease by treatment was also superior for the irradiated group (84% versus 57%, p less than 0.005). Local recurrence without signs of distant metastases developed only one-third as often in irradiated patients (6% versus 18%). Distant metastases, alone or in combination with local recurrence, were also less common after radiation (12% versus 27%). Second primary tumors developed in 15% and 10% of the respective groups, a difference that was not statistically significant. When we consider the survival benefit of preoperative radiation therapy, long-term complications were relatively mild. Delayed healing of the perineum was noted in two irradiated patients. Persistent diarrhea was severe enough to warrant treatment in only one case, and one patient required a colostomy for intestinal obstruction from pelvic fibrosis.     

Postoperative Radiotherapy for Stage pT3 Carcinoma of the Prostate: Improved Local Control

Purpose

We determined whether radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy leads to improved results in patients with stage pT3 carcinoma of the prostate.

Materials and Methods

In a prospective nonrandomized study of 203 patients with clinical stage T2 prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy 88 underwent surgery alone, 89 received early postoperative radiotherapy generally because of pathological stage T3 disease and 26 received delayed radiotherapy for local recurrence. The disease was stage pT3N0/X in 135 patients.

Results

For patients with pathological stage T3 cancer actuarial local recurrence rates were significantly decreased in the early postoperative radiotherapy group compared to the surgery only group (p = 0.005), while actuarial metastatic rates (p = 0.6) and cause specific survival rates (p = 0.04) were not significantly different. Multivariate analysis for all patients in both groups identified adverse features of increased postoperative prostate specific antigen levels, seminal vesicle involvement, lack of postoperative radiotherapy and positive lymph nodes. Late toxicity was severe (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group grade 3 or 4) in 13 surgery only and 17 early postoperative radiotherapy group patients. Of those who were potent postoperatively the incidence of impotence in the early postoperative radiotherapy group was 89 percent compared to 59 percent in the surgery only group (p = 0.003). For patients treated with delayed radiation for clinical local recurrence the actuarial local control rate was 54 percent after 10 years.

Conclusions

Local radiotherapy appears to improve local control of stage pT3 cancer but has no impact on overall survival.     

Surgical treatment of spinal chordomas

The clinical features and results of 34 patients with chordomas treated over a seven-year period were analyzed. Surgical treatment consisted of wide local excision (n = 6), marginal resection (n = 5), intralesional resection (n = 20), and biopsy (n = 3). Eighteen patients received postoperative radiotherapy. The local recurrence rate was 65%, with 30% of patients developing distant metastases. With the introduction of computed tomography, smaller tumors are currently being diagnosed; as a result, 35% of the patients in this series are disease free, compared with 10% described previously.     

Verbesserung der lokalen Kontrolle bei Patienten mit aggressiver Fibromatose durch die Kombination von Chirurgie und Strahlentherapie

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this retrospective analysis is to evaluate whether the combination of surgery and radiation therapy in patients with aggressive fibromatosis influences the therapeutic outcome. METHOD: Clinical, radiological and pathological results of 23 consecutive cases with histologically proven aggressive fibromatosis were retrospectively analyzed. The median follow-up was 59 months. RESULTS: Twelve patients received surgery alone for their first treatment, 10 patients had a combination of surgery and radiotherapy and 1 patient had radiochemotherapy. Of 23 patients 14 (63%) had one or more local recurrences and 9 (39%) were recurrence-free. The patients received a total of 50 treatments: 29/50 (58%) treatments were followed by a local recurrence and 21/50 (42%) were without relapse. Twenty-nine treatments with local recurrence consisted of 25/29 (86%) surgical treatments, 3/29 (10%) combinations of surgery and radiation therapy, and 1/29 (3%) radiochemotherapy. Of the patients who had only surgery for their first treatment, after one year 8 of 12 (66%) and after 5 years all patients had a local recurrence. In the group with surgery and radiotherapy, there was no recurrence after 1 year and 1 recurrence after 5 years (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: We recommend a complete tumor resection, without mutilating the patient. Radiation therapy in combination with surgery in contrast to surgery alone is an efficient treatment option for reducing local recurrence.     

Squamous cell carcinoma of the pyriform sinus: retrospective study of 351 cases treated at the Institut Gustave-Roussy

The first part of the study was devoted to 199 tumors treated by surgery, either conservative for the smallest tumors (18 cases) or radical (181 cases), with systematic postoperative radiotherapy. The 3-year survival rate was 48% and the 5-year, 33%, with a 12% local recurrence rate, a 7.5% neck recurrence rate, and 27.6% rate distant metastases. Histologic correlations were developed. The second part of the study reported 152 cases treated by external radiotherapy alone either as a variant of our treatment protocol for the small-sized tumors (31 cases) or, for the major part (121 cases), as a result of surgical inoperability or patient refusal. The former subgroup had a variable survival rate (65% at 3 years and 40% at 5 years) equivalent to similarly staged patients treated with conservation laryngeal surgery, whereas the prognosis of the latter subgroup was poor. The two main causes of failure were the inability to apply the curative treatment protocol in 35% of patients ineligible for a surgery and the high risk of distant metastases in the 65% of patients able to undergo the usual management.     

直肠癌术后局部复发综合治疗的疗效分析

目的：分析直肠癌根治术后局部复发的类型、综合治疗的疗效及预后。方法：对直肠癌术后局部复发、以往未接受过放疗的66例病人进行疗效分析。原手术方式为经腹直肠切除术45例(Dixon术40例，Parks术5例)，腹会阴直肠切除术21例。经腹直肠切除术后复发以吻合口为主(37／45，82．2％)，腹会阴直肠切除术后复发则以盆腔或会阴为主(19／21，90．5％)。复发后盆腔放疗中位剂量为40(20—64）Gy，临床症状缓解中位剂量26(10～52)Gy。其中26例在放疗过程中或之后接受过中位7个(2～12)疗程以5-FU为主的化疗。有22例放疗后获补救手术机会。结果：全组中位生存期24个月。Kaplan-Merier法计算生存率，放疗后1、3年总生存率分别为72．2％、17．9％。单因素分析并Log rank检验生存率差异，显示生存率与原发病变的期别、术后复发时间、复发部位及是否加用化疗无关，而仅与是否再次行补救手术有关。放疗后加用补救手术者3年生存期明显较长，为36．0％比8．8％(P=0．016)。结论：直肠癌根治术后局部复发者，放疗具有良好的姑息减症的作用；对部分经腹直肠切除术后的复发病例，放射治疗加补救手术能明显延长生存期。     

Postoperative radiotherapy of the chest wall in patients with male breast cancer

INTRODUCTION: We analysed our long-term results with postoperative radiotherapy of the chest wall in male breast cancer patients with respect to local control and survival. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with 26 histological proven carcinomas of the male breast underwent postoperative radiotherapy of the chest wall with (n = 15) or without regional lymphatics after mastectomy. Additionally 13 patients received adjuvant hormones and 3 patients adjuvant chemotherapy. Median age at treatment was 62.2 years (45.9-78.5 years). Median follow-up was 15.3 years (7.7-27.5 years). RESULTS: Overall survival after radiotherapy was 28 %, disease-specific survival was 64 %. Actuarial 3-, 5- and 10-year survival was 72 %, 56 % and 35 %. Median survival time was 6.1 years. Actuarial progression-free survival was 80 %, 52 % and 43 % after 3, 5 and 10 years, respectively. Local tumor control was 92 % (24 / 26). Survival was significantly affected by the presence of lymph node metastases (p < 0.01) and localisation of the tumor in the right breast (p < 0.04). CONCLUSION: Postoperative radiotherapy is an important part of the management of male breast cancer to improve local control and progression-free survival. The presence of lymph node metastases significantly impairs survival.     

Colorectal carcinoma and brain metastasis: Distribution,treatment, and survival

Background: Brain metastasis from colorectal cancer is rare. The present study reports the nature of this disease and analyzes factors correlated with survival in patients harboring such disease. Patients and Methods: One hundred patients diagnosed between 1980 and 1994 with metastatic brain tumors secondary to colorectal adenocarcinoma were retrospectively reviewed. Of these patients, 36 underwent surgery, 57 underwent radiotherapy alone, and the remaining seven received steroids. Results: The most common primary sites were the sigmoid colon and rectum (65%). Brain metastases with concomitant liver and/or lung metastases were seen more frequently than brain metastases alone. The median interval between the diagnosis of primary cancer and the diagnosis of brain metastasis was 26 months (95% confidence interval =22–30). The median survival time after the diagnosis of brain metastasis was 1 month for patients who received only steroids, 3 months for those who received radiotherapy (p=0.1), and 9 months for those who underwent surgery (p<0.0001). The extent of noncerebral systemic disease was not correlated with survival (p>0.05), but early onset of brain metastasis was significantly associated with poor prognosis (p=0.04). Conclusion: Surgical removal of colorectal metastatic brain lesions results in significantly increased survival time, regardless of the status of the noncerebral systemic disease.     

Squamous cell carcinoma of temporal bone: reported on 33 patients.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the treatment results of a series of 33 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the temporal bone and evaluated the efficacy of mastoidectomy combined with perioperative radiation therapy protocol. METHODS: Thirty-three patients with biopsy-proven SCC invaded to the temporal bone were reviewed retrospectively and staged into three subgroups according to the University of Pittsburgh TNM Staging System. There were 3 patients with Stage I and II disease(tumor confined to auditory canal), 17 patients with Stage III (tumor involving the middle ear or mastoid), and 13 patients with Stage IV(more extensive disease). Two patients were treated by surgery alone. Eleven patients received irradiation only, and the remaining 20 patients underwent combined surgery and perioperative radiotherapy. The surgical intervention included sleeve resection for patients with Stage I and II lesions and mastoidectomy for all patients with Stage III and IV lesions except 1 who had subtotal temporal bone resection. The radiation dose delivered was in the range of 3500 approximately 10 000 cGy, with an average dose of 6560 cGy. RESULTS: The five-year survival rate for the whole series was 51.7% by the life-table analysis. After being staged into three subgroups (ie, Stage I + II, Stage III, and Stage IV), the estimated five-year survival rates were 100%, 68. 8%, and 19.6%, respectively (p = 0.04). Radiation alone yielded a 28. 7% five-year survival, while combined surgery and irradiation gave a result of 59.6% (p = 0.80). For patients treated with planned combined therapy, the actuarial five-year survival rates were 72.7% (8/11) for Stage III disease and 12.5% (1/8) for Stage IV disease (p = 0.02). Twelve patients who died of disease did so of local recurrence (10 cases), cervical metastases (1 case), and liver metastases (1 case), with 70% of succumbing to their diseases within two years. Complications include osteonecrosis (n = 1), osteitis (n = 3), radiation dermatitis (n = 2), facial nerve palsy (n = 2), and delayed healing (n = 2). Data on clinical presentation and treatment modality were also analyzed. CONCLUSION: The results of mastoidectomy with removal of all gross tumor, combined with planned perioperative irradiation therapy, seems to be a useful approach for SCC of the temporal bone. This gives at least as good, and possibly better, five-year survival than temporal bone resection. The mastoidectomy procedure creates less operative morbidity and mortality. To facilitate the development of more effective means of treating advanced disease, an accepted staging system and cooperative group investigation is necessary.     

The TME trial after a median follow-up of 6 years: increased local control but no survival benefit in irradiated patients with resectable rectal carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of preoperative short-term radiotherapy in patients with mobile rectal cancer undergoing total mesorectal excision (TME) surgery. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Local recurrence is a major problem in rectal cancer treatment. Preoperative short-term radiotherapy has shown to improve local control and survival in combination with conventional surgery. The TME trial investigated the value of this regimen in combination with total mesorectal excision. Long-term results are reported after a median follow-up of 6 years. METHODS: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one patients with resectable rectal cancer were randomized between TME preceded by 5 x 5 Gy or TME alone. No chemotherapy was allowed. There was no age limit. Surgery, radiotherapy, and pathologic examination were standardized. Primary endpoint was local control. RESULTS: Median follow-up of surviving patients was 6.1 year. Five-year local recurrence risk of patients undergoing a macroscopically complete local resection was 5.6% in case of preoperative radiotherapy compared with 10.9% in patients undergoing TME alone (P < 0.001). Overall survival at 5 years was 64.2% and 63.5%, respectively (P = 0.902). Subgroup analyses showed significant effect of radiotherapy in reducing local recurrence risk for patients with nodal involvement, for patients with lesions between 5 and 10 cm from the anal verge, and for patients with uninvolved circumferential resection margins. CONCLUSIONS: With increasing follow-up, there is a persisting overall effect of preoperative short-term radiotherapy on local control in patients with clinically resectable rectal cancer. However, there is no effect on overall survival. Since survival is mainly determined by distant metastases, efforts should be directed towards preventing systemic disease.     

The treatment of soft-tissue sarcomas of the extremities: prospective randomized evaluations of (1) limb-sparing surgery plus radiation therapy compared with amputation and (2) the role of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Between May 1975 and April 1981, 43 adult patients with high-grade soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities were prospectively randomized to receive either amputation at or above the joint proximal to the tumor, including all involved muscle groups, or to receive a limb-sparing resection plus adjuvant radiation therapy. The limb-sparing resection group received wide local excision followed by 5000 rads to the entire anatomic area at risk for local spread and 6000 to 7000 rads to the tumor bed. Both randomization groups received postoperative chemotherapy with doxorubicin (maximum cumulative dose 550 mg/m2), cyclophosphamide, and high-dose methotrexate. Twenty-seven patients randomized to receive limb-sparing resection and radiotherapy, and 16 received amputation (randomization was 2:1). There were four local recurrences in the limb-sparing group and none in the amputation group (p1 = 0.06 generalized Wilcoxon test). However, there were no differences in disease-free survival rates (71% and 78% at five years; p2 = 0.75) or overall survival rates (83% and 88% at five years; p2 = 0.99) between the limb-sparing group and the amputation treatment groups. Multivariate analysis indicated that the only correlate of local recurrence was the final margin of resection. Patients with positive margins of resection had a higher likelihood of local recurrence compared with those with negative margins (p1 less than 0.0001) even when postoperative radiotherapy was used. A simultaneous prospective randomized study of postoperative chemotherapy in 65 patients with high-grade soft-tissue sarcomas of the extremities revealed a marked advantage in patients receiving chemotherapy compared with those without chemotherapy in three-year continuous disease-free (92% vs. 60%; p1 = 0.0008) and overall survival (95% vs. 74%; p1 = 0.04). Thus limb-sparing surgery, radiation therapy, and adjuvant chemotherapy appear capable of successfully treating the great majority of adult patients with soft tissue sarcomas of the extremity.     

Occult primary breast carcinoma presenting as axillary lymphadenopathy

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to review the need for radiotherapy or not in patients with occult primary breast cancer presenting with axillary metastases treated with breast conservation usually with no surgery to the breast. METHODS: From 1975 to 2001, 58 patients were treated with axillary lymphadenopathy from a cryptic primary breast carcinoma. After clinical and radiological assessment, 29 patients retained a diagnosis of occult primary breast carcinoma. Clinical and pathological data were collected retrospectively on the 29 patients and survival was calculated from the date of initial diagnosis using the Kaplan-Meier method. The median follow-up was 44 months. RESULTS: Median age at diagnosis was 57 years (range 28-81 years). Sixteen patients had radiotherapy to the ipsilateral breast. Eleven patients received no local therapy to the ipsilateral breast and two patients had quadrantectomies which were negative for malignancy. Locoregional relapse occurred in 12.5% of patients who had received radiotherapy and 69% of those who had not received any radiotherapy (P=0.02). Fifty-seven per cent of patients having a local relapse were salvaged with further surgery. The eventual breast conservation rate was 93%. Patients who received radiotherapy to the breast had significantly improved relapse-free survival (HR=0.31; P=0.04) and local relapse-free survival (HR=0.09; P=0.004). There were no significant differences in overall survival between those patients who had breast irradiation and those who did not (HR 0.91; 95% CI 0.18-4.5). CONCLUSION: Occult primary carcinoma with axillary metastases can be treated successfully with breast preservation but radiotherapy to the breast is necessary to minimize the risk of locoregional recurrence.     

Curative surgery for local pelvic recurrence of rectal cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Local pelvic recurrence of rectal cancer after radical resection has been associated with morbidity and cancer-related death. This study retrospectively evaluated outcome following curative resection for rectal cancer recurring after surgery on the basis of prognosis, type of procedure and perioperative morbidity. METHODS: A total of 85 consecutive patients with local pelvic recurrence of rectal cancer were evaluated. Of these, 43 underwent microscopic curative surgery for local recurrence. Among the 43 patients, 23 underwent surgery alone and 17 received preoperative radiotherapy (40 Gy) (XRT group) in addition to the surgery. Of the 43 patients, 26 were asymptomatic. RESULTS: Curative resection was higher in the recurrences that were associated with implantation, incomplete surgical margin clearance, and intrapelvic lymph node metastasis than in other types of recurrence. With regard to surgical procedure, abdominoperineal resection (APR), with or without sacral resection, was standard following previous sphincter-preserving surgery, while total pelvic exenteration (TPE), with or without sacral resection, was common following previous APR. Local excision was not considered appropriate surgery. There was a high incidence of perioperative morbidity (64%) in patients receiving TPE. Re-recurrence was observed in 18 patients (50%) after curative surgery. After a follow-up of 2 years or more, the local re-recurrence rate was 28%. The overall 5-year survival rate for patients receiving curative resection was 39%, for patients in the XRT group, 51%, and for patients in the surgery-alone group, 24% (p = 0.07). The survival rate in 26 asymptomatic patients was higher than in 17 patients with symptoms, with 5-year survival rates of 62 and 23% (p < 0.05), respectively. The cumulative local control in the preoperative radiotherapy plus en bloc surgery group (XRT group) was significantly better than in the surgery-alone group (p < 0.01), and survival in the XRT group tended to be better than in surgery alone. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that careful patient selection according to the pattern of recurrence, area of invasion and presence of symptoms is important for successful curative surgery. Aggressive surgery with adjuvant therapy may lead to an improved salvage rate.     

New approaches in the management of rectal carcinoma result in reduced local recurrence rate and improved survival.

OBJECTIVE: To find out whether total mesorectal excision (TME) technique alone or combined with preoperative radiotherapy reduces local recurrence rate and improves survival. DESIGN: Partly retrospective (the first period), partly prospective (the second period) study. SETTING: University hospital, Helsinki, Finland. SUBJECTS: 144 patients between 1980 and 1990 and 61 patients between 1991 and 1997 with rectal cancer, who underwent major curative surgery. Interventions: A conventional surgical technique was used during the first period and TME alone or combined with preoperative radiotherapy when appropriate during the second period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postoperative morbidity and mortality, local recurrence rate, and 5-year survival. RESULTS: After anterior resection 4/76 of the patients (5%) during the first period and 8/43 (19%) during the second period developed anastomotic leaks. Operative 30-day mortality was 1% (n = 1) and 0, respectively. Actuarial local recurrence rate was 17% in the first period and 9% in the second period. Actuarial crude 5-year survival improved from 55% to 78% and cancer-specific survival from 67% to 86% between the two study periods. CONCLUSIONS: Despite an increased number of anastomotic complications TME is safe. Refinement of the surgical technique together with preoperative radiotherapy yields lower local recurrence rates and an improved survival compared with conventional surgery alone.