[Technic of the surgical excision of villous tumors]

Villous tumours of the colon and rectum are characterized by a high incidence of malignancy (50%) and by their tendency to recur. Invasive malignant villous tumours require wide excision in the same way as adenocarcinomas. Non-invasive tumours (stage 0 and stage I) should be treated like benign villous tumours. Villous tumours of the colon, i.e. situated more than 15 cm from the anus, are removed by a short colonic resection. Villous tumours of the rectum which are small and pedunculated or sessile, situated less than 8 cm from the anus can be excised via the trans-anal route, provided a margin of healthy mucosa is removed around the villous zone. High rectal tumours which are very large or diffuse are removed by a trans-sacral approach, low extensive tumours are removed by a coccyperineal or trans-sphincteric approach. Recurrences (30 to 40%) always occur after incomplete excision, especially after a trans-anal resection. Benign tumours can also recur, although remaining benign, and require a further local excision.