The surgeon as a prognostic factor in the surgical treatment of rectal cancer

Over the past 2 decades the surgeon and the hospital where he or she works have been considered to play an important role in the prognosis of the rectal cancer patients. The rate of sphincter-sparing rectal resection, local recurrence and survival are the factors more frequently utilized in the literature to evaluate if surgeons are able to affect the natural history of the rectal cancer. The quantitative aspect, high volume of the surgeon, is not enough but in order to achieve better results in the treatment of rectal cancer a specific interest in colorectal surgery is more important. While retrospective studies show a positive influence of the surgeon on the prognosis of these patients, prospective studies are very few so that we need to get more data to reach valid conclusions. The high number of rectal cancer patients does not allow a centralization of these patients into specialist Units, but we should get up everywhere colorectal programmes so that every department can reach a high standard of efficiency.