Long-term outcomes of transanal endoscopic microsurgery for clinical complete response after neoadjuvant treatment in T2-3 rectal cancer

621 Background: Neoadjuvant long course chemoradiotherapy is well recognised as a standard treatment in locally advanced, margin threatening rectal cancer, in order to downstage and reduce local recurrence. We investigated retrospectively whether long term outcomes could be predicted by response to neoadjuvant treatment, and which factors specifically seemed to predict a risk of poorer outcome. Methods: All patients treated with long course chemoradiotherapy between January 2008 and December 2009 were identified retrospectively. Patients were excluded if the treatment indication was for inoperable disease, postoperative, recurrence, or palliative intent. A total of 231 patients were analysed with retrospective analysis of all electronic records and case notes. The following information was collated: preoperative staging, chemoradiotherapy treatment planned and received, operation performed, postoperative pathology (including nodal status, margins, presence of LVSI, and evidence of response to neoadjuvant treatment), disease free survival, and overall survival. Results: Kaplan Meier curves are presented showing patients with either a complete or partial response to neoadjuvant treatment appear to have a statistically significant improvement in long term outcomes, compared to those with no response (Mean survival 55 months, 56 months and 43months respectively, p<0.01). Furthermore, those who remain node positive or have evidence of LVSI following neoadjuvant treatment appear to have a statistically significant poorer outcome. Conclusions: Our study further develops on previous work looking at the prediction of outcomes following response to neoadjuvant treatment in rectal cancer. It appears that those who respond to initial treatment will have a better outcome than those who do not, including those who remain node positive or with LVSI following treatment. This study is limited because it is retrospective. Randomised controlled trial data is required to enable identification of poor risk imaging and pathology features that might suggest the need for adjuvant therapy following combined modality treatment with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery.

Download Full-text

Organ preservation in patients with rectal cancer with clinical complete response after neoadjuvant therapy.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2015.33.3_suppl.509 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 33 (3_suppl) ◽

pp. 509-509 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Jesse Joshua Smith ◽

Oliver S Chow ◽

Anne Eaton ◽

Maria Widmar ◽

Garrett Michael Nash ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rectal Cancer ◽

Neoadjuvant Therapy ◽

Pathologic Complete Response ◽

Neoadjuvant Treatment ◽

Oncologic Outcome ◽

Complete Response ◽

Rank Test ◽

Salvage Operation ◽

Clinical Complete Response ◽

Kaplan Meier

509 Background: Nonoperative management (NOM) of rectal cancer following a clinical complete response (cCR) to neoadjuvant therapy is a non-standard approach. We review our experience with NOM to evaluate safety and efficacy. Methods: A retrospective review of prospectively collected data between 2006 and 2014 was conducted. We compared patients completing neoadjuvant therapy for stage I to III rectal cancers who: a) achieved cCR and were treated with NOM, or b) underwent standard total mesorectal excision (TME) and achieved a pathologic complete response (pCR). Kaplan-Meier estimates and the log-rank test were used. Results: Seventy-three patients underwent NOM after cCR. From 369 rectal resections performed, 72 (20%) achieved pCR and form the comparison group. Median follow-up across both groups was 3.3 years. Rectal preservation was achieved in 56 (77%) of the patients treated with NOM. Of the 19 NOM patients with local regrowth, 18 were salvaged successfully with standard TME (n=16) or local excision (n=2), with one patient pending a salvage operation (n=1). No significant differences were noted in the number of distant recurrences between the NOM and pCR groups. Four-year disease-specific survival and overall survival between the two groups were not significantly different. Conclusions: In this highly selected group of patients with cCR to neoadjuvant treatment, NOM with surgical salvage of local tumor regrowth achieved local control in all patients. The oncologic outcome for NOM patients at 4 years was comparable to patients with pCR after rectal resection. These data continue to suggest that NOM does not compromise oncologic outcome, and that preservation of the rectum is achieved in a majority of patients. [Table: see text]

Download Full-text