Patterns of recurrence following curative resection alone for adenocarcinoma of the rectum and sigmoid colon

• Published in: Cancer Vol. 48; no. 6; pp. 1492 - 1495
• Main Authors: Rao, A. R., Kagan, A. R., Chan, P. M., Gilbert, H. A., Nussbaum, H., Hintz, B. L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 15.09.1981
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - surgery; Adult; Aged; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - etiology; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis; Rectal Neoplasms - surgery; Retrospective Studies; Sigmoid Neoplasms - surgery
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(19810915)48:6<1492::AID-CNCR2820480636>3.0.CO;2-K
• ISSN: 0008-543X

Two‐hundred‐four patients with previously untreated adenocarcinoma of rectum, rectosigmoid, and sigmoid colon were retrospectively evaluated to determine patterns of recurrence following curative resection. Seventy‐eight (38%) subsequently developed recurrent disease. Of these, 40% (31/78) presented with local recurrence alone, 28% (22/78) with regional recurrence, 15% (12/78) with concomitant local recurrence and distant metastasis, and 17% (13/78) with distant metastasis alone. The degree of tumor anaplasia and depth of tumor penetration into the bowel wall influenced the rate of local recurrence. Through five years local recurrence without clinical evidence of distant metastasis was the most common cause of death. Need for adjuvant radiation therapy is discussed.