Evaluation of the Rectal Cancer Patient Decision Aid: A Before and After Study.

Background: In rectal cancer surgery, low anterior resection and abdominoperineal resection have equivocal impact on overall quality of life. A rectal cancer decision aid was developed to help patients weigh features of options and share their preference.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a patient decision aid for mid to low rectal cancer surgery on the patients' choice and decision-making process.

Postoperative venous thromboembolism predicts survival in cancer patients.

Objectives: To determine whether a postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) is associated with a worse prognosis and/or a more advanced cancer stage and to evaluate the association between a postoperative VTE and cancer-specific survival when known prognostic factors, such as age, stage, cancer type, and type of surgery, are controlled.

Context: It is unknown whether oncology patients who develop a venous thromboembolism after a complete curative resection are at the same survival disadvantage as oncology patients with a spontaneous VTE.

Methods: A retrospective case control study was conducted at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.