Oncological Safety of Minimally Invasive Multivisceral Resection for cT4b Rectal Cancer: A Multicenter Comparison...

Area of Science:

• Surgical Oncology
• Gastrointestinal Surgery

Background:

• Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is gaining traction for rectal cancer treatment.
• Evidence for MIS in multivisceral resection (MVR) for advanced cT4b rectal cancer remains limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare short- and long-term outcomes of MIS versus open MVR in patients with advanced rectal cancer.
• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of MIS for cT4b rectal cancer requiring MVR.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 32 patients with cT4b rectal cancer undergoing MVR (9 open, 23 MIS) between 2011-2023.
• Evaluation of operative invasiveness, postoperative complications, and 3-year survival rates.

Main Results:

• MIS group had significantly lower intraoperative blood loss (220 ml vs. 2,500 ml, p<0.0001).
• Excluding stage IV disease, no significant differences in pathological outcomes or 3-year survival were observed between MIS and open MVR groups.

Conclusions:

• Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) may reduce surgical invasiveness for cT4b rectal cancer requiring MVR.
• MIS appears to be a viable option without compromising oncological outcomes in carefully selected patients.