[Treatment of rectal tumors with transanal endoscopic microsurgery]

The aim of this study was to assess one and a half years experience gained in Lithuania while treating rectal tumors with transanal endoscopic microsurgery in the Centre of Abdominal Surgery of Vilnius University Hospital "Santariskiu klinikos".

The patients who had rectal adenomas and low-risk T1 carcinomas of good or moderate differentiation, with no lymphatic and vascular invasion were selected for surgery. Tumor stage was determined by transanal endosonoscopy and rectoscopy with multiple macrobiopsies before surgery.

A total of 47 patients were operated on. The average tumor size was 3.4+/-1.4 cm (ranged from 1 to 7 cm). Overall 25 (52.1%) carcinomas and 23 (47.9%) adenomas were removed. Pre-operative diagnoses did not correspond to the final clinical diagnoses in 14 (29.8%) cases. Forty-three (89.6%) radical operations (R0) and 5 (10.6%) doubtful complete operations (RX) were performed. One (2.1%) intra-operative complication and one (2.1%) post-operative complication were observed. After the removal of Ca T2 three patients underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. Twenty-six patients were followed up for 3-17 months after operation: 17 after removal of cancer and 9 after removal of adenoma. One (2.1%) recurrence of a tubulovillous adenoma was diagnosed. No other complications were reported.

Initial results of transanal endoscopic microsurgery obtained while treating rectal adenomas and low-risk T1 cancers are promising. The low rate of complications and recurrences in this group offers many hopes. The experience of the treatment of T2 cancers with transanal endoscopic microsurgery and adjuvant radiotherapy is limited but the results are encouraging. It is obvious that the results of randomized and controlled trials need to be awaited before definite conclusions can be drawn.