[Progress in sphincter-preserving surgery in patients with low rectal cancer]

Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor. In China, low rectal cancer accounts for more in rectal cancer. Surgery currently remains at the center of any potentially curable case. With the rapid development of surgical techniques and progress of pathology research in low rectal cancer, sphincter-preserving surgery has been widely used in the treatment of low rectal cancer. This review is to summarize the current literatures pertaining to sphincter-preserving surgery, including distal resection margin, neoadjuvant therapy, indications, and postoperative complications.