Advanced distal rectal cancer: possibilities of sphincter-sparing surgeries in combination with neoadjuvant therapy

Objective: to analyze the outcomes of sphincter-sparing surgeries in patients with advanced distal rectal cancer depending on the therapy they receive.

Materials and methods. This study included 289 patients with advanced (stage T3N0–2M0) distal rectal cancer who have undergone sphincter-sparing surgeries. Patients were divided into three groups according to their treatment scheme. In group 1, we used combination treatment that included a short course of neoadjuvant radiotherapy supplemented by 3 multidirectional radiomodifiers (local microwave hyperthermia, rectal administration of a biopolymer composition containing metronidazole, and chemotherapy with capecitabine). Patients in group 2 received combination treatment that included neoadjuvant radiotherapy alone. Treatment outcomes in patients receiving combination therapy was compared to those of patients with similar characteristics and location of rectal tumors who have undergone surgery alone in N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology (group 3).

Results. We observed a significant decrease in the incidence of locoregional cancer metastasis in patients from group 1 compared to those from groups 2 and 3 (0.8 % vs 7.9 % and 18.2 % respectively). Moreover, patients in group 1 demonstrated better relapse-free survival than participants in groups 2 and 3 (79.6 % vs 52.6 % and 51 % respectively). The new scheme of combination therapy developed by our team (used in group 1) did not increase the incidence of postoperative complications. The best local disease control in group 1 was achieved in patients with middle rectal cancer who have undergone sphincter-sparing surgeries: none of 81 patients developed relapses, whereas the relapse-free survival rate reached 83 % compared to 56.9 % in group 1 and 41.7 % in group 3.

Conclusions. The new treatment scheme that includes neoadjuvant radiotherapy supplemented by 3 multidirectional radiomodifiers can be used as one of the options increasing efficacy of radiotherapy and, therefore, efficacy of combination treatment in patients with advanced rectal cancer who undergo sphincter-sparing surgeries.

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