Abdominal sacral resection of locally recurrent rectal cancer

Local recurrence of rectal cancer develops in the posterior bony pelvis as an isolated event in about half of the patients with recurrence. Although radiation can palliate sacral root pain, the disease is usually progressive and is rarely amenable to conventional resection. We have adapted a surgical technique usually used for primary sacral tumors, which permits a complete en bloc excision of recurrent rectal cancer in most instances. This approach consists of a laparotomy with pelvic dissection and mobilization of structures to be resected. The patient is repositioned prone and the posterior pelvis (sacrum and side walls) is then resected with preservation of appropriate nerve roots of the posterior pelvis and the sciatic nerve. Reconstruction is done with muscle and skin flaps. We have done 21 such procedures, of which, 11 were for pelvic recurrence of rectal adenocarcinoma. Seven patients had resections for cure and four had palliative resections of fungating or infected tumors. All but one patient was postabdominal perineal resection and nine patients had been irradiated (3000-9000 rads). Two patients had received up to 9000 rads in separate courses (external beam in one and interstitial radiation in the other). The posterior extent of resection was S1-2 to 5 in six patients; S3 to 5 in three patients, and S4-5 in two patients. Anterior exenteration was performed in three patients and three patients had additional resection of other organs. In the curative resection group, three patients are living free of disease at six, ten, and 52 months, and one patient was NED at 60 months, but has again had tumor recurrance and is living with disease at 65 months. One patient died of disease at 13 months and one patient died of a pulmonary embolus following resection for ureteral obstruction at five months. One postoperative death occurred from a cerebrovascular accident at 52 days. In the palliative resection group, three patients survived with relief of local tumor symptoms four, eight, and 12 months. One patient who had received a total of 9000 rads developed flap necrosis, small bowel fistula and died 60 days after resection. Although this is a small series, it suggests that abdominal sacral resection of locally advanced pelvic cancer is feasible and may provide good palliation in most and possible cure in some patients who develop recurrence after primary resection of adenocarcinoma of the rectum.