Assessing Severity of Low Anterior Resection Syndrome After Intersphincteric Resection for Ultralow Rectal Cancer: A...

Area of Science:

• Colorectal Surgery
• Oncology
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) significantly impacts quality of life post-rectal cancer surgery.
• The Delphi consensus identified key symptoms and consequences crucial for defining LARS.
• Standardized assessment of LARS remains a challenge, necessitating development of precise scoring instruments.

Discussion:

• An exploratory scoring instrument was developed based on Delphi consensus priorities for LARS.
• This instrument correlated well with patient-reported quality of life, outperforming traditional functional scores.
• The study highlights the importance of patient-reported outcomes in evaluating LARS post-intersphincteric resection.

Key Insights:

• "Emptying difficulties" and "dissatisfaction with bowels" were the most frequent LARS symptoms and consequences.
• The exploratory instrument demonstrated significant improvements in summary scores, correlating strongly with quality of life (rs = -0.73).
• Patient-reported severity of LARS priorities is a valuable measure for assessing post-surgical outcomes.

Outlook:

• Further validation in larger, multi-institutional studies is warranted.
• This scoring instrument may enhance comprehensive LARS assessment and guide treatment strategies.
• Integrating patient-reported outcomes into LARS evaluation is crucial for improving patient care.