En bloc resection of colon cancer adherent to other organs

This study was undertaken to determine the optimal surgical treatment of colorectal cancers with adherence to adjacent organs in the absence of distant metastases. A retrospective review of colorectal cancer at Virginia Mason Hospital from 1975 to 1979 divided patients with Dukes' stage B2 and C2 colorectal cancers into three treatment groups: standard colectomy, en bloc resection, and colectomy with separation of adherent organs, with 5 year survival rates of 55 percent, 61 percent, and 23 percent, respectively. No operative mortality occurred with en bloc resection. Survival after en bloc resection was influenced by Dukes' stage and the histologic documentation of cancer within the adherent organ. Unacceptably high local recurrence rates and poor 5 year survival rates were observed in cases where adherent organs were separated from the colorectal cancer. We conclude that colorectal cancer adherent to other organs should be treated by en bloc resection. The survival rate after en bloc resection will be comparable to the rate after standard colectomy for nonadherent colorectal cancers.