Abdominosacral resection: long-term outcome in 86 patients with locally advanced or locally recurrent rectal cancer.

Aims: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcome of abdominosacral resections (ASR) in patients with locally advanced or recurrent rectal cancer.

Methods: From 1994 until 2012 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) and locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC) underwent a curative ASR and were enrolled in a database. The postoperative complication rates, predictive factors on oncological outcome and survival rates were registered.

Results: Seventy-two patients with LRRC (mean age 63; 44 male, 28 female) and 14 patients with LARC (mean age 65; 6 male, 8 female) underwent ASR. R0 resection was achieved in 37 patients with LRRC and 11 patients with LARC. Twenty-seven patients underwent an R1 resection (3 in the LARC group). Eight patients had an R2 resection, compared to no patients in the LARC group. In respectively 26 and 1 patients of the LRRC and LARC groups a grade 3 or 4 complication occurred and the 30-days mortality rate was respectively 3% and 7%. The 5-years overall survival was 28% and 24% respectively.

Conclusion: En bloc radical resection remains the primary goal in the treatment of dorsally located (recurrent) rectal cancer. After thorough patient selection, ASR is a safe procedure to perform, shows acceptable morbidity rates and leads to a good oncological outcome.