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Laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer: oncological results and clinical outcome of 225 patients

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Abstract

Introduction

The efficacy and feasibility of laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer has been proved, but the results of prospective, randomized studies are not yet available. Here we present a prospective observational study evaluating oncological and clinical outcome after laparoscopic surgery in patients with rectal cancer.

Patients and Methods

Between January 1998 and March 2005, 225 patients with rectal adenocarcinoma underwent laparoscopic surgery at the University of Regensburg Medical Center. Clinical and oncological outcome of these patients including perioperative and long-term complications was evaluated. Survival curves were calculated according to the Kaplan–Meier method. Minimum follow-up was 24 months.

Results

The distribution of the International Union against Cancer (UICC) stages was: 37.7% stage I, 20.5% stage II, 24.9% stage III, and 16.9% stage IV. Local recurrence was diagnosed in 5.8% and distant metastases in 8.1% of cases after mean follow-up of 36.4 months. The 5-year overall survival rate was 75.7% after curative and 40.7% after palliative surgery (p < 0.05). The stage-related survival rates were 86.7% for UICC stage I, 61.7% for stage II, 68.1% for stage III, and 40.1% for stage IV.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate the efficacy and technical feasibility of laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer regarding the perioperative morbidity and the oncological outcome.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Katrin Thelen MD, Margit Bauer, Detlef Krenz MD, and Hazel Davidson-Haser.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of Regensburg Medical Center, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany

    Ayman Agha, Johanna Hierl, Igors Iesalnieks, Gabriel Glockzin & Hans J. Schlitt

  2. Department of Surgery, Caritas Hospital St. Josef, Landshuter Str. 65, 93053, Regensburg, Germany

    Alois Fürst

  3. Department of Surgery, Zentralklinikum Augsburg, Stenglinstr. 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany

    Matthias Anthuber

  4. Department of Surgery, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Karl-Walter Jauch

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  1. Ayman Agha
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Correspondence to Ayman Agha.

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Ayman Agha, Alois Fürst—both authors contributed equally.

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Agha, A., Fürst, A., Hierl, J. et al. Laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer: oncological results and clinical outcome of 225 patients. Surg Endosc 22, 2229–2237 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-008-0028-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-008-0028-4

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