Pelvic Anatomy for Distal Rectal Cancer Surgery

Worldwide, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Currently, total mesorectal excision (TME) is considered as the gold standard surgical procedure for rectal cancer. To achieve a good oncologic outcome and functional outcome after TME in distal rectal cancer, exact knowledge regarding the pelvic anatomy including pelvic fascia, pelvic floor, and the autonomic nerve is essential. Accurate TME along the embryologic plane not only reduces local recurrence rate but also preserves urinary and sexual function by minimizing nerve damage. In the past, pelvic floor muscles and autonomic nerves could not be visualized clearly, however, the development of imaging studies and improvements of minimally invasive surgical techniques such as laparoscopic and robotic surgery can clearly show the anatomy of the pelvic region. In this chapter, we will provide accurate anatomy of the rectum and the anal canal, pelvic fascia, and the pelvic autonomic nerve. This anatomical information will be an important indicator for performing an adequate operation for distal rectal cancer.

Combination therapy for patients with advanced forms of distal rectal cancer during neoadjuvant thermoradiotherapy

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy of combination therapy in patients with stage сT3N0M0 and сT2–3N1–2M0 distal rectal cancer during a short course of neoadjuvant thermoradiotherapy compared to radiotherapy or surgical treatment alone.Materials and methods. A total of 166 patients received 3 sessions of local microwave hyperthermia (LMH) at a temperature of 43–45 °C for 60 minutes during a short course of radiotherapy (LMH + CT); 138 patients received combination treatment (CT) using preoperative radiotherapy alone; 197 patients received surgical treatment (ST) only.Results. In patients receiving LMH + CT, overall incidence of complications was 38.6 % and did not significantly differ from that in patients receiving ST (p = 0.8464) and CT (p = 0.5383). We observed no significant differences in the severity of postoperative complications (according to the Clavien–Dindo classification) between the three groups of study participants treated using different regimens. The incidence of relapses was 6 % in the LMH + CT group vs 17.3 % in the ST group (p <0.0011) and 10.9 % in the CT group (p = 0.1258). Relapse-free survival rates were significantly higher in patients receiving LMH + CT than in patients who had ST alone: 59.4 % vs 51 % (p = 0.04). Difference in relapse-free survival between the CT and ST groups was not significant (56.5 % vs 51 %, respectively, p = 0.07). The frequency of therapeutic pathomorphosis was significantly higher (p <0.00001) in the LMH + CT group than in the CT group (14.9 % and 1.5 %, respectively).Conclusions. LMH has a universal radiosensitizing potential that can increase tumor radiosensitivity and improve treatment outcomes.

Experience in surgical correction of genital prolapse caused by abdominoperineal operations for colon cancer in anamnesis

In recent studies, it has been established that extralevator abdominoperineal extirpation (ELAPE) of the rectum can improve the oncological results of treatment of distal rectal cancer compared to standard abdominoperineal extirpation. As a result of extralevator dissection, a large defect of the perineum is formed, which requires plastic closure. While performing ELAPE, the structures that form the pelvic diaphragm are affected. This increases the risk of pelvic organ prolapse in women and significantly affects the quality of life of these patients, which requires subsequent surgical treatment. Despite the fact that pelvic organ prolapse develops as a consequence of previous surgical treatment by an oncologist, they do not consider it as a complication in the long-term postoperative period. Such patients are not referred to the operating gynecologist. Currently, this problem is poorly understood and there are no standardized approaches to the surgical treatment of pelvic prolapse in this category of patients.

Advanced distal rectal cancer: possibilities of sphincter-sparing surgeries in combination with neoadjuvant therapy

Objective: to analyze the outcomes of sphincter-sparing surgeries in patients with advanced distal rectal cancer depending on the therapy they receive.Materials and methods. This study included 289 patients with advanced (stage T3N0–2M0) distal rectal cancer who have undergone sphincter-sparing surgeries. Patients were divided into three groups according to their treatment scheme. In group 1, we used combination treatment that included a short course of neoadjuvant radiotherapy supplemented by 3 multidirectional radiomodifiers (local microwave hyperthermia, rectal administration of a biopolymer composition containing metronidazole, and chemotherapy with capecitabine). Patients in group 2 received combination treatment that included neoadjuvant radiotherapy alone. Treatment outcomes in patients receiving combination therapy was compared to those of patients with similar characteristics and location of rectal tumors who have undergone surgery alone in N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology (group 3).Results. We observed a significant decrease in the incidence of locoregional cancer metastasis in patients from group 1 compared to those from groups 2 and 3 (0.8 % vs 7.9 % and 18.2 % respectively). Moreover, patients in group 1 demonstrated better relapse-free survival than participants in groups 2 and 3 (79.6 % vs 52.6 % and 51 % respectively). The new scheme of combination therapy developed by our team (used in group 1) did not increase the incidence of postoperative complications. The best local disease control in group 1 was achieved in patients with middle rectal cancer who have undergone sphincter-sparing surgeries: none of 81 patients developed relapses, whereas the relapse-free survival rate reached 83 % compared to 56.9 % in group 1 and 41.7 % in group 3.Conclusions. The new treatment scheme that includes neoadjuvant radiotherapy supplemented by 3 multidirectional radiomodifiers can be used as one of the options increasing efficacy of radiotherapy and, therefore, efficacy of combination treatment in patients with advanced rectal cancer who undergo sphincter-sparing surgeries.