Suboptimal surgery and omission of neoadjuvant therapy for upper rectal cancer is associated with a high risk of local recurrence.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to estimate the risk of local recurrence in an audited cohort of patients, with a particular focus on patients with upper rectal cancer treated by partial mesorectal excision without neoadjuvant therapy.

Method: Perioperative clinical data on all patients who underwent mesorectal excision for primary adenocarcinoma of the rectum in the period from 2007 to 2010 were prospectively collected and follow-up data on oncological outcome were retrieved from patient records. Three-year actuarial local recurrence rates were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods.

Results: Local recurrence was diagnosed in 17 of 247 patients treated with curative intent. The 3-year actuarial local recurrence rate was 7.0% (95% CI 4.0-11.8). The risk of local recurrence was negatively associated with tumour stage (P = 0.015), an involved circumferential resection margin (P = 0.007) and tumour height (P = 0.044). The local recurrence rate at 3 years was 13.5% after partial mesorectal excision, 2.9% following total mesorectal excision and 5.7% after extralevator abdominoperineal excision (P = 0.032).

Conclusion: Tumour stage and an involved circumferential resection margin were the most important predictors of local recurrence. For cancer of the upper rectum, partial mesorectal excision was associated with a high risk of local recurrence.