[Combined treatment of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer].

The objective of this study was to improve the immediate and long-term results of combined treatment of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. The study included 128 patients with morphologically confirmed diagnosis and clinical stage cT3/T4 and N-/N+, treated from 1998 to 2009. The comparison group had 64 patients, combined treatment included prolonged preoperative radiotherapy 4 Gy and 40 Gy, surgery was performed after 4 weeks.

[Pathomorphism of rectal cancer during neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy].

The pathomorphism of rectal cancer (RC) was studied in 99 patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy using two drugs (5-fluorouracil and xeloda). A morphological study indicated the qualitatively similar manifestations of pathomorphism (tumor necrosis, inflammation, and sclerosis) which were more pronounced in the use of xeloda. Three degrees of the pathomorphism of RC have been identified: the tumor was unchanged, changed, and undetectable.

[The distal resection margin in rectal cancer surgery].

Spread of the tumor in the distal direction is an important factor that must be considered when performing organ-serving surgery for rectal cancer. Particular relevance it has acquired in recent years due to the general tendency to expand the indications for the preservation of natural reflex-apparatus in patients with medium- and lower-ampullar part of the rectum.