Abstracts
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2000. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 15, 2000; 6(Suppl3): 64-64
Published online Sep 15, 2000. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v6.iSuppl3.64
How to prolong the survival time of postoperative rectal cancer and to prevent its recurrence
Da-Wei Liu, Lei Xu, Ji-Wei Shen, Er-Min Jia
Da-Wei Liu, Lei Xu, Ji-Wei Shen, Er-Min Jia, Department of Surgery, Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, Harbin 150036, Heilongjiang Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Da-Wei Liu, Department of Surgery, Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, Harbin 150036, Heilongjiang Province, China. vigur@0451.com
Telephone: 451-5655061-4061
Received: April 24, 2000
Revised: May 20, 2000
Accepted: July 10, 2000
Published online: September 15, 2000
Abstract

AIM: To explore the method to prolong the survival of patients with postoperative rectal cancer and to prevent its recurrence.

METHODS: To analyze the reasons of recurrence after curative resections for rectal cancer of 399 patients.

RESULTS: Ninety out of 399 patients who received curative excision died of relapse of the tumor. Pelvic recurrence was found in most of the patients followed by liver and pulmonany metastasis. The survival time in Dukes’A was the longest and in Dukes’C the shortest. The survival period was 12 mo longer in the patients receiving pre-operative radiotherapy than that did not. Inadequate excision of the primary tumor or the draining lymph nodes was the main cause for local recurrence.

CONCLUSION: Adequate surgery and adjuvant therapy are the most effective methods to prolong the survival of patients with postoperative rectal cancer and to prevent its recurrence.

Keywords: Colorectal neoplasms/surgery; Survival rate; Recurrence; Chemotherapy, adjuvant