FOLFOX方案联合放疗的新辅助治疗在低位直肠癌中的临床多中心研究

目的 探讨FOLFOX方案(奥沙利铂、氟尿嘧啶和甲酰四氢叶酸钙)联合放疗的新辅助治疗在低位直肠癌中应用的安全性和有效性.方法 对2004年8月至2007年7月间中山大学附属第六医院(部分资料收集开始于中山大学附属第一医院)、广东省佛山市第一人民医院和深圳市第一人民医院收治的共计56例术前评估为T3～4N0M0和T1～4N1～2M0直肠癌患者进行前瞻性临床研究,术前实施4个疗程的FOLFOX方案化疗;从化疗第2疗程的第1天开始放疗,2 Gy/次,总剂量46 Gy(共23次).放疗结束后4～8周,进行全直肠系膜切除手术.结果 56例患者共接受220个疗程化疗.其中1例患者因第2次化疗后白细胞不升而停止,只行术前放疗;1例患者在2次化疗、10次放疗后出现肺结核活动而停止治疗;余54例术前均接受4次化疗.52例患者放化疗后接受手术治疗(2例治疗后发现肝、肺、骨转移而未行手术),50例施行保肛手术,其中19例行预防性回肠造瘘.2例患者术后发生吻合口瘘,2例术后1个月出现直肠阴道瘘.52例手术后病理结果显示,7例患者完全缓解,41例患者部分缓解,4例患者稳定.56例中2例不能完成治疗退出,2例广泛转移未手术.总有效率85.7%.结论 FOLFOX方案联合放疗的新辅助治疗对于低位直肠癌患者可达到术前肿瘤降期和增加手术保肛率的效果,建议保肛术后行回肠预防性造口.     

Myocutaneous flap reconstruction of the perineum after radical abdominoperineal resection

Objective:  Accurate tumour re-assessment after down-sizing preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for locally advanced middle and lower rectal cancer provides valuable prognostic information prior to surgical resection. (1) We assessed the accuracy of post-CRT magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting circumferential resection margin status. (2) The accuracy of MRI in staging chemoradiation down-sized rectal tumours was also assessed.
Method:  Patients from a single tertiary referral centre who received preoperative CRT for biopsy-proven rectal cancer between January 2003 and February 2005 were identified from a database. All patients received long-course CRT (50 Gy over 5 weeks and 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin) prior to surgery. A comprehensive MRI reporting proforma was completed for each patient and results were compared directly with histological specimens.
Results:  Fifty patients were eligible for the study. The overall accuracy for predicting circumferential resection margin status was 76% (38/50, P  = 0.006, sensitivity = 96.9%, specificity = 73.8%, negative predictive value = 96.9%). For T staging, MRI was accurate in 52% (26/50) and for nodal staging MRI was correct in 60% (30/50). Venous invasion was predicted in 66% (33/50, P  = 0.04). A radiological rectal cancer regression grade was derived and this correlated with histological rectal cancer regression grade in 65% (32/49).
Conclusion:  This study demonstrates that post-CRT MRI is accurate in predicting the circumferential resection margin status, which provides useful prognostic information prior to surgery.     

直肠癌直肠系膜浸润程度的术前螺旋CT与术后病理对照研究

目的 结合大组织切片技术,评价螺旋CT预测直肠癌直肠系膜浸润程度和环周切缘状态的价值.方法 对2007年3月至12月经纤维结肠镜及病理证实的直肠癌患者57例术前行64层螺旋CT增强扫描,预测直肠系膜浸润程度和环周切缘状态.全直肠系膜切除术后,利用大组织切片技术观察直肠系膜浸润程度和环周切缘状态,并与CT预测结果比较.计算螺旋CT预测直肠系膜浸润程度和环周切缘状态的准确率、敏感度、特异度、阳性预测值和阴性预测值.结果 肿瘤按直肠系膜浸润深度分级为Ⅰ度、Ⅱ度、Ⅲ度;螺旋CT预测系膜浸润程度总准确率为93.0%(53/57),其中Ⅰ度、Ⅱ度、Ⅲ度预测准确率分别为94.7%、94.7%、96.5%,与术后病理结果之间有较好的一致性(K=0.89,P<0.01).螺旋CT预测直肠癌环周切缘状态准确率93.0%(53/57),敏感度80.0%(12/15),特异度97.6%(41/42),阳性预测值92.3%(12/13),阴性预测值93.2%(41/44),与术后病理结果之间有较好的一致性(κ=0.76,P<0.05).结论 螺旋CT可准确预测直肠癌直肠系膜浸润程度和环周切缘状态.可作为术前影像学评估的常规手段.     

Transanal Local Excision for Preoperative Concurrent Chemoradiation Therapy for Distal Rectal Cancer in Selected Patients

Purpose To evaluate the clinical course and outcomes of patients with T2 or T3 rectal cancer treated by transanal local excision after preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT). Methods Between June 2000 and August 2004, seven patients underwent local excision of T2 or T3 rectal cancer after preoperative CRT. Preoperative clinical staging was on the basis of the findings of endorectal ultrasound. Computed tomography (CT) and digital rectal examination consisted of radiation therapy with 4 500 cGy/25 fractions, given over 5 weeks with 5-FU-based chemosensitization. Local excision was performed 4–7 weeks later. Results The mean age of the patients was 54.9 (35–70) years and the median follow-up period was 23 (5–57) months. The lesions were located 2–6 cm above the anal verge (median 3.0 cm). Pretreatment T staging was estimated as T3 in one patient, and T2 in six patients. Post-treatment T staging was estimated as complete remission (CR) in two patients, T1 in three patients, and T2 in two patients. Pathologic evaluation revealed tumor downstaging in six patients, including three (42.9%) with CR. No tumor cells were seen in the resection margin and there was no sign of recurrence in any of the patients. Conclusion These findings support local excision after preoperative CRT as an effective alternative to radical resection in carefully selected patients with T2 and T3 distal rectal cancer. Chimin Park and Wooyong Lee have contributed equally to this article.     

Histopathology of residual rectal carcinoma following preoperative radiochemotherapy

Preoperative radiotherapy with (CRT) or without chemotherapy (RT) in the management of patients with locally advanced rectal carcinoma is increasingly accepted as therapeutic modality to reduce local recurrence and improve survival, decrease tumor size and/or stage, has less toxicity compared to postoperative therapy, improves sphincter preservation and the ability to perform a curative resection. In a brief review of literature we discussed the possible prognostic role of most important pathologic parameters and their clinical implications. At present, predictive value of tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy remains uncertain, whether evaluated as five-point histological tumor regression grade (TRG) or recently proposed three-point rectal cancer regression grade (RCRG). However, most reports emphasize reduced local reccurence rates and disease-free survival advantage in patients with complete tumour regression or tumour down-staging, occuring in up to 20% and 60% of cases, respectively. Patients with advanced post-treatment tumour stage (ypT3/4), positive lymph nodes (ypN1/2), vascular invasion, positive circumferential resection margin, clearance < 2mm, or absence of tumor regression are shown to have poor clinical outcome. Among CRT-induced morphological features, only "fibrotic-type" stromal response with minimal inflammatory infiltrates and absence of surface ulceration are correlated to recurrence-free survival. Preliminary unpublished results of a pilot study from our multidisciplinary prospective trial relate to correlation of histopathologic parameters and morphologic changes to rectal cancer regression grade (RCRG). Therefore, we studied 22 consecutive patients, mean age 56 (range 23-69) years, with transmural cT3/4 stage and were subgrouped as follows: RCRG-1 (7 patients, 31.8%), RCRG-2 (9 patients, 40.,9%) and RCRG-3 (6 patients, 27,2%). In addition, 14 patients (63%) showed tumour downstaging and only 1 patient (4.5%) nodal down-staging after ypTNM restaging. There was the predominance of fibrotic-type stroma (16 patients, 72.8%) versus fibro-inflammatory response (6 patients, 27.2%), frequent tumoral necrosis (13 patients, 59%) but infrequent surface ulceration (5 patients, 22.7%) and peritumoural eosinophylic infiltration as well as endocrine cell differentiation (4 patients, 18%). The second aim of our study was to investigate determinants of radiosensitivity, i.e. the relationship between proliferative activity indices (Ki-67 and PCNA) as well as the induction of apoptosis (p53) and the tumour regression (RCRG) after neoadjuvant CRT. The interaction between Ki-67 and PCNA immunoexpression levels and the benefit of CRT was significant for Ki-67 (p = 0.03), but not for PCNA (p = 0.08) and p53 levels (p = 0.4). In a conclusion, high percentage of Ki-67-positive tumor cells in the preoperative biopsy predicts an decreased treatment response after preoperative CRT of rectal cancer. However, long-term follow-up and large studies are necessary to establish the value of regression grade and the need for its prediction by reliable biological markers.     

磁共振成像对直肠癌术前放化疗后再分期准确性的Meta分析

目的评价磁共振成像（MRI）对直肠癌术前放化疗后再分期的准确性。方法利用PubMed、EMBASE、Ovid和wok数据库,全面检索MRI对直肠癌术前放化疗后再分期相关的英文文献,检索日期1985年1月至2012年3月。对MRI用以直肠癌术前放化疗后再分期的敏感性和特异性进行Meta分析。结果最终纳入15篇,共749例患者。MRI对直肠癌术前放化疗后T3～T4分期诊断的敏感性为82．1％（95％CI：67．9％～90．9％）,特异性为53．5％（95％CI：39．3％．67.3％）,诊断比数比（DOR）为5．34（95％C1：2．73～10．45）;对阳性淋巴结诊断的敏感性、特异性及DOR分别为61．8％（95％CI：50．7％～71．8％）、72．0％（95％CI：61．3％～80．7％）和4．33（95％CI：2．84～6．59）;对环周切缘阳性诊断的敏感性、特异性及DOR分别为85．4％（95％CI：60．5％～95．7％）、80．0％（95％CI：57．4％～92．2％）和27．62（95％CI：13．03～58．55）。结论MRI对于直肠癌术前放化疗后B～T4和阳性淋巴结诊断准确性一般,而对环周切缘诊断准确性高。推荐术前常规利用MRI对直肠癌患者进行放化疗后再分期,以避免过度治疗。     

Liver metastasis with intraductal invasion originating from rectal cancer: Report of a case

We report a case of liver metastasis with intraductal invasion from colorectal cancer. The patient underwent abdominoperineal resection of the rectum for rectal cancer, and a computed tomography (CT) scan, done 4 years later, revealed a low-density lobular mass in the left lobe of the liver, with a tumor embolus in the second branch of the left bile duct (B2). Because the preoperative imaging findings showed an intraductal growth pattern, we performed a left lobectomy of the liver for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC). Immunohistochemically, the carcinoma cells, including the intraductal growth, were focally positive for Cytokeratin (CK) 20, but negative for CK 7. This CK staining pattern suggested that the liver tumor was a metastasis from the previously resected rectal cancer. Thus, metastases from colorectal cancer can involve intraductal growth.     

中低位直肠癌环周切缘状态与预后的关系研究

目的 探讨中低位直肠癌环周切缘状态与预后的关系,并分析与临床病理特征的关系.方法 采用大组织切片技术,对49例行全直肠系膜切除术的中低位直肠癌标本环周切缘状态进行检查.采用Kaplan-Meier法分析术后局部复发率、远处转移率和5年生存率与环周切缘的关系,并对临床病理特征进行单因素分析. 结果 中低位直肠癌环周切缘阳性率为24%(12/49),术后局部复发率为12%(6/49),远处转移率为27%(13/49).环周切缘阳性的中低位直肠癌局部复发率为33%(4/12),明显高于环周切缘阴性的5%(2/37)(X2=6.577,P=0.010);环周切缘阳性的远处转移率为50%(6/12),切缘阴性者为19%(7/37)(X2=4.491,P=0.034);环周切缘阳性的5年生存率为33%,明显低于环周切缘阴性的78%,Kaplan-Meier生存分析显示,环周切缘与生存时间密切相关(log-rank,P=0.009).环周切缘状态与肿瘤直径(X2=4.451,P=0.035)、T分期(X2=20.283,P=0.000)、N分期(X2=7.773,P=0.018)、肿瘤距齿状线距离(X2=6.502,P=0.04)、肿瘤位置(X2=4.421,P=0.035)及手术方式(X2=5.754,P=0.016)有关.结论 环周切缘状态是影响中低位直肠癌预后的重要因素,中低位直肠癌环周切缘状态与肿瘤直径、T分期、N分期、肿瘤距齿状线距离、肿瘤位置及手术方式存在相关.     

Curative resection for locally advanced sigmoid colon cancer using neoadjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFOX plus panitumumab: A case report

IntroductionFOLFOX and panitumumab combined chemotherapy plays an important role for metastatic colorectal cancer. However the usefulness of this regimen for neoadjuvant therapy is unclear.Case reportA 67-year-old man with abdominal pain and pneumaturia was diagnosed with RAS wild-type sigmoid colon cancer with urinary bladder invasion and colovesical fistulas. Because the cancer was considered to be unresectable, a transverse-loop colostomy was performed. Colonoscopy and computed tomography revealed a marked reduction in the size of the primary tumor after six courses of FOLFOX4 (oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and 5-fluorouracil) plus panitumumab. Laparoscopic sigmoidectomy and partial cystectomy were then performed. The pathological findings based on the resected specimen showed almost complete replacement of the tumor by fibrous tissue, with only a few degenerated tumor glands persisting in the submucosa. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful and he was doing well, without disease recurrence, after 36 months of follow up.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first report of a successful curative resection in a patient with initially unresectable, locally advanced colorectal cancer who was treated with FOLFOX4 combined with panitumumab.     

Can Rectal Cancers With Pathologic T0 After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation (ypT0) Be Treated by Transanal Excision Alone?

Background Patients with rectal cancer who have complete rectal wall tumor regression after neoadjuvant chemoradiation probably have eradication of tumor cells in the mesorectum as well, thus raising the possibility of transanal excision. Methods All pathology reports of all patients with locally advanced low and mid rectal cancer who underwent preoperative chemoradiation followed by radical resection from May 2000 to June 2004 were reviewed to evaluate the correlation between complete tumor response (ypT0) and nodal response. Results One hundred one consecutive patients had neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by definitive operation. Four were excluded, leaving 64 men and 33 women (median age, 62 years). Fifty-three patients (55%) had mid rectal cancer, and 44 (45%) had low rectal cancer. Fifty-eight patients (60%) underwent low anterior resection, and 36 (37%) underwent abdominoperineal resection. In 17 patients (18%), no residual tumor cells were present within the rectal wall. One patient (6%) with ypT0 disease had positive lymph nodes. Conclusions No residual tumor in the rectal wall correlates with the absence of viable cancer cells in the mesorectal tissue (94%). Approximately 10% of T1 tumors have involved lymph nodes, and local excision is an accepted option. Transanal excision could probably be considered in a highly selected group of patients with a mural pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant therapy. This approach should be prospectively investigated, and strict selection guidelines should be used.     

Prevalence of bone marrow micrometastases in esophagogastric cancer patients with and without neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow micrometastases are present in a high proportion of patients undergoing curative resection for esophagogastric cancer. The incorporation of preoperative systemic therapies into these patients' treatment is widely practiced. This study investigates the effect of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) on the incidence of micrometastases and the viability of detected tumor cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rib bone marrow was obtained from patients (n = 106) in three centers, who were selected for potentially curative resection. Patients received neoadjuvant CRT plus surgery (n = 55), or surgery alone (n = 51). To detect micrometastases, mononuclear cells were isolated from fresh marrow and immediately stained immunohistochemically with an anti-cytokeratin-18 antibody using the APAAP technique. Tumor cell viability was assessed by immunohistochemical staining of marrow cell cultures for cytokeratin-positive cells. RESULTS: Micrometastases were detected in fresh marrow in 42% (23/55) of patients who received neoadjuvant CRT plus surgery, and in 67% (34/51) of patients treated with surgery alone. Viable tumor cells were demonstrated in 10 of 18 marrow cultures from CRT plus surgery cases. In this patient subset, combination of results of staining fresh and cultured marrow significantly increased micromet detection to 78%. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of patients with esophagogastric cancer have disseminated viable tumor cells at time of surgery, irrespective of pre-operative treatment. The use of marrow culture in parallel with fresh marrow staining may increase the detection of micrometastases. The persistence of tumor cells resistant to systemic therapy may explain why these regimens fail in a majority of patients.     

Long-term Outcome of Local Excision after Complete Pathological Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Therapy for Rectal Cancer

Background

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotion therapy (CRT) for advanced rectal cancer has improved local disease. Complete rectal wall tumor regression may be associated with the absence of viable cancer cells in the mesorectum, and thus local excision (LE) of such lesions as an alternative to radical surgery has recently gained interest. We report the long-term outcome of LE in patients with a mural pathological complete response (ypT0) after CRT.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients with rectal cancer treated by CRT and followed by LE with pathological complete response in the specimen between 1998 and 2009 was performed.

Results

A total of 174 patients had neoadjuvant CRT, and 68 (39?%) showed complete clinical response (cCR). Thirty-one of the cCR patients underwent LE; 23 of them resulted in ypT0 and 8 had residual disease. The ypT0 group included 12 men and 11 women with a median age of 66. The pretreatment stage was T3N1 in 4 (17?%) patients, T3N0 in 11 (48?%), T2N1 in 3 (13?%), and T2N0 in 5 (22?%). The median tumor distance from the anal verge was 6?cm. Sixteen patients (70?%) underwent transanal excision, and 7 (30?%) were treated by transanal-endoscopic microsurgery. Three patients died: one of pneumonia, one of melanoma of the rectum, and one of lung carcinoma. No local or distant recurrences were detected in the remaining 20 patients. The median follow-up was 87?months.

Conclusions

Although radical rectal resection is the treatment of choice, LE of complete rectal tumor regression could be a safe alternative with an acceptable result in selected patients.     

术前新辅助化疗联合同步放化疗对局部进展期直肠癌预后及血清标志物影响

目的:探讨术前同步放化疗联合氟尿嘧啶+亚叶酸钙+奥沙利铂(FOLFOX4)新辅助化疗对局部进展期直肠癌患者血清血清脂肪酸合成酶(FAS)、肿瘤型M2丙酮酸激酶(Tu M2-PK)表达的影响,为直肠癌的临床治疗方案提供参考.方法:选取100例进展期直肠癌患者为研究对象,以抽签法随机分为试验组和对照组,各50例.试验组术前...     

以直肠癌症状为表现的前列腺癌诊疗体会及文献复习

目的探讨以直肠癌症状为表现的前列腺癌诊治要点。 方法回顾性分析我院诊治的3例以直肠癌症状为表现的前列腺癌患者临床病理特征、随访情况，总结现有文献讨论诊治心得。 结果3例患者均是因胃肠道症状至本院胃肠外科就诊，患者2直肠指检未见异常，患者1和患者3直肠指检均可触及肿物；CT及MRI均可见肿物累及前列腺和直肠；肠镜见环周肿物，肠腔狭窄；组织学为高/低分化腺癌；所有患者初步诊断均为直肠癌。患者1血清PSA：2.532 ng/ml，行Miles术，术后Gleason评分：5+4=9，免疫组化：PSA/P504s（+），最终确诊为前列腺癌，术后追加内分泌治疗。患者2和患者3在泌尿外科会诊后，血清PSA分别为>100 ng/ml和153.49 ng/ml，Gleason评分分别为5+3=8和4+3=7，免疫组化PSA/P504s均为（+），确诊为前列腺癌，进行了内分泌治疗和全盆腔脏器切除。 结论前列腺癌诊断应结合病史、检查、组织学及免疫组织化学，警惕误诊。     

Chemoradiation instead of surgery to treat mid and low rectal tumors: Is it safe?

Background The main treatment for rectal carcinoma is surgery. Preoperative chemoradiation (CRT) is advocated to reduce local recurrence and improve resection of mid and low tethered rectal tumors. Methods Fifty-two patients with mid or low rectal tumors underwent CRT (external beam radiation plus 5-fluorouracil plus folinic acid). Patients who had low rectal tumors with complete response (CR) were not submitted to surgical treatment. All other patients were submitted to surgery, independently of the response. Mean follow-up was 32.1 months. Results Five-year overall survival was 60.5%. Clinical evaluation after CRT showed CR in 10 cases (19.2%), all low tumors; incomplete response (>50%) in 21 (40.4%); and no response to 8.8 months. Two patients were not submitted to surgery and are still alive without cancer after 37 and 58 months. Thirty-nine patients had radical surgery. Seven had local recurrences after CRT plus surgery (17.9%). Overall survival was negatively affected by lymph node metastases (P=.017) and perineural invasion (P=.026). Conclusions Exclusive CRT approach is not safe to treat patients with low infiltrative rectal carcinoma.     

肿瘤血管正常化窗口对不能切除胃癌患者新辅助治疗的指导

目的探讨按“肿瘤血管正常化窗口（NWTV）”假设对不能切除的胃癌患者进行新辅助治疗的合理性。方法前瞻性收集2010年10月至2011年3月间武汉大学人民医院收治的进展期及局部晚期不能切除的93例胃癌患者,按随机数字表法分为A组[30例,采用FOLFOX4（奥沙利铂、四氢叶酸和氟尿嘧啶）常规新辅助化疗]、B组（29例,前述方案加贝伐单抗靶向治疗）和C组（34例,按NWTV假设,按B组方案进行新辅助化疗,贝伐单抗用药5d后按A组方案治疗）。比较3组新辅助治疗的疗效、不良反应及临床结局。结果3组患者一般资料的差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。所有患者均按计划完成了新辅助化疗．新辅助化疗疗效和不良反应3组问的差异均无统计学意义（均P〉0．05）。3组新辅助化疗后肿瘤分期下降率分别为56．7％（17／30）、72．4％（21／29）和85．3％（29／34）,C组明显高于A组（P〈0．05）;R0切除率分别为23．3％（7／30）、27．6％（8／29）和52．9％（18／34）．C组明显高于A组和B组（均P〈O．05）。3组患者均未出现围手术期死亡病例．术后并发症发生率的差异亦无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。结论抗血管生成剂应用于胃癌的新辅助治疗中能改善临床疗效,按NSTV窗口指导的给药方式效果更佳。     

腹腔镜直肠癌低位前切除术

腹腔镜直肠癌低位前切除术已在临床上受到广泛认可。术中手术层面的识别与游离、盆腔自主神经的保护对于手术成功与否以及患者术后生活质量尤为重要。腹腔镜直肠癌低位前切除术中需注意：(1)直肠系膜与神经前筋膜之间游离;(2)紧贴直肠系膜游离间隙;(3)保证直肠系膜后方、两侧方和前方的完整;(4)TME手术直肠系膜终止线位于肛门直肠环,游离应到位,不能残留直肠系膜。实践证实,基于膜解剖的直肠癌全系膜切除有助于盆腔自主神经保护以及实现肿瘤的根治性切除。     

直肠癌根治术后局部复发的因素和预防要点

直肠癌根治术后局部复发已引起临床广泛关注并成为研究难点.影响直肠癌术后局部复发因素较多,但主要有肿瘤远切缘、环周切缘肿瘤浸润程度、直肠系膜切除范围,肿瘤组织分化程度,临床肿瘤TNM分期,手术方式选择等.重视手术操作规范,合理选择手术方式,术中确保远近切缘及环周切缘阴性,坚持全直肠系膜切除(TME)原则,给予新辅助放化疗...     

Rectal cancer staging

Recommendations for the management of rectal cancer have been incredibly dynamic over the last several decades and accurate staging is required to make informed decisions and guide patient discussions. A complete staging evaluation should include a physical examination, complete colonoscopy, serum carcinoembryonic antigen level, and imaging to include a CT chest, MRI of the pelvis, and either a CT or MRI of the abdomen. Assessment of the circumferential resection margin with a rectal cancer protocol MRI is the cornerstone of this staging workup. Accurate staging is of paramount importance when considering treatment options for this complex disease.     

Comparative outcome between chemoradiotherapy and lateral pelvic lymph node dissection following total mesorectal excision in rectal cancer

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate comparative outcome between adjuvant postoperative chemoradiotherapy (postoperative CRT) and lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLD) following total mesorectal excision (TME) in rectal cancer patients. BACKGROUND: Although TME results in lower rate of locoregional recurrence compared with conventional surgery, these 2 treatment modalities following TME have not adequately been appraised until the present trend of preoperative chemoradiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1995 and 2000, patients with stage II and III rectal cancer underwent TME plus postoperative CRT (n = 309) or LPLD (n = 176). Patients in the postoperative CRT group received 8 cycles of 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin and 45 Gy pelvic radiotherapy. Patients in the LPLD group underwent lateral lymph node dissection outside the pelvic plexus. RESULTS: The 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 78.3% and 67.3% in the postoperative CRT group, respectively, and 73.9% and 68.6% in the LPLD group, respectively, without significant differences between these groups. Patients in the LPLD group with stage III lower rectal cancer had a locoregional recurrence rate 2.2-fold greater than those in the postoperative CRT group (16.7% vs. 7.5%, P = 0.044). Multivariate analysis showed that APR and advanced T-category (T4) were significantly associated with locoregional recurrence, whereas lymph node metastases, high preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen, and APR were significantly associated with shortening of disease-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative-CRT and LPLD following TME resulted in comparable survival rates, but the locoregional recurrence rate was higher in the LPLD group. These findings suggest that initial surgery is appropriate for rectal cancer patients who are candidates for low anterior resection without extensive local disease (T1-T3), regardless of lymph node status.