Local excision following pre-operative chemoradiotherapy-induced downstaging for selected cT3 distal rectal cancer

To investigate the long-term outcomes of selected patients with cT3 distal rectal cancer treated with local excision following pre-operative chemoradiotherapy.

Between January 2003 and February 2008, 11 patients with cT3 distal rectal cancer received a local excision following pre-operative chemoradiotherapy. The median age of the patients was 61 years (range, 42-71). The median tumor size was 3 cm (range, 2-5), and the median distance of the caudal tumor edge from the anal verge was 3 cm (range, 1-4). Clinical lymph node status was positive in five patients. Pre-operative chemoradiotherapy consisted of a 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions with concurrent chemotherapy. A transanal full-thickness local excision was performed after a median of 54 days (range, 31-90) from chemoradiotherapy completion. Ten patients received post-operative chemotherapy.

Pathologically complete responses occurred in eight patients, ypT1 in two and ypT2 in one. The pathologic tumor size for three ypT1-2 tumors was 0.9, 1.1 and 2.2 cm. The follow-up period was a median of 59 months (range, 24-85). One patient (ypT0) developed recurrence at the excision site 14 months after surgery, but was successfully salvaged with an abdominoperineal resection and adjuvant chemotherapy. Another patient (ypT2) developed bone metastasis after 8 months and died of the disease. The 5-year local recurrence-free, disease-free and overall survival rates were 90.9%, 81.8% and 88.9%, respectively. No Grade 3 or worse gastrointestinal toxicity was detected.

Full-thickness local excision following chemoradiotherapy may be an acceptable option for cT3 distal rectal cancer that responds well to chemoradiotherapy.