Electrocoagulation: an alternative palliative treatment for rectal cancer

We present our experience with palliative transanal electrocoagulation therapy (TEC) for rectal cancer.

Eight patients with biopsy-proven localised low rectal adenocarcinoma were treated with palliative TEC. Inclusion criteria were: high risk patients with anal adenocarcinoma less than 3 cm in diameter, localised less than 7 cm from the anal verge, limited to the rectal wall. Under local anaesthesia all patients underwent TEC using the traditional cautery.

No mortality and morbidity was found. Four patients required a second procedure and one patient had a third session . Two patients died within 2 years from distal metastasis. The remaining six patients are alive and free of local recurrence (follow-up 9 months to 4 years).

In poor surgical candidates, palliative TEC of rectal adenocarcinoma may have a role as an alternative to radical surgical treatment.