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Importance: In patients operated on for low rectal cancer, 2-stage Turnbull-Cutait pull-through hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis provides benefits in terms of postoperative morbidity compared with standard hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis associated with diverting ileostomy and further ileostomy reversal., Objective: To compare long-term results of these 2 techniques after ultralow rectal resection for rectal cancer., Design, Setting, and Participants: In this randomized multicenter clinical trial, neither patients nor surgeons were blinded for technique. Patients were recruited in 3 centers. Patients undergoing ultralow anterior rectal resection needing hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis were randomly assigned to 2-stage Turnbull-Cutait pull-through hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis (n = 46) or standard hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis associated with diverting ileostomy (n = 46)., Interventions: All patients underwent ultralow anterior resection. Patients assigned to the 2-stage Turnbull-Cutait pull-through group underwent exteriorization of a segment of left colon through the anal canal. After 6 to 10 days, the exteriorized colon was resected and a delayed hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis performed. For patients assigned to standard coloanal anastomosis, the hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis was performed with diverting ileostomy during the first operation. Ileostomy closure was scheduled after adjuvant treatment was completed in about 6 to 8 months., Main Outcome and Measure: The study aimed to compare the differences between the 2 groups in terms of long-term surgery-related morbidity, functional, and oncological outcomes at 3 years postoperatively. Data were analyzed from October 1, 2018, through October 31, 2021., Results: The 92 patients randomized in the first study were included for the 3-year follow-up. The overall morbidity rate in the 2 groups showed that 15 patients (16.3%) had complications with a difference of 6.52 (95% CI, -8.93 to 21.79). Nine patients (19.6%) and 6 patients (13.0%) in the 2-stage Turnbull-Cutait pull-through group and hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis group, respectively, had complications without statistically significant differences (P = .57). Oncological results were comparable between the groups. Long-term fecal continence in the CCA and TCA groups, respectively, assessed using the Wexner Incontinence Score was 10.9 (5.50-15.5) vs 13.0 (7.25-16.0; P = .92), Low Anterior Resection Syndrome score was 32.0 (21.0-37.0) vs 34.0 (23.2-38.5; P = .76), and Colorectal Functional Outcome score was 38.5 (23.0-47.1) vs 40.8 (23.3-58.2; P = .30)., Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, after a 3-year follow-up period, 2-stage Turnbull-Cutait anastomosis for ultralow rectal cancer could be considered as a surgical alternative that has the valuable benefit of avoiding a temporary stoma with similar results in terms of morbidity, fecal continence, patient satisfaction, quality of life, and oncological outcomes when compared with hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis with ileostomy., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01766661.

Background: The Catalan Cancer Plan (CCP) undertakes periodic audits of cancer treatment outcomes, including organ/space surgical site infections (O/S-SSI) rates, while the Catalan Healthcare-associated Infections Surveillance Programme (VINCat) carries out standardized prospective surveillance of surgical site infections (SSI) in colorectal surgery. This cohort study aimed to assess the concordance between these two monitoring systems for O/S-SSI following primary rectal cancer surgery., Methods: The study compared O/S-SSI incidence data from CCP clinical audits versus the VINCat Programme in patients undergoing surgery for primary rectal cancer, in 2011-12 and 2015-16, in publicly funded centres in Spain. The main outcome variable was the incidence of O/S-SSI in the first 30 days after surgery. Concordance between the two registers was analysed using Cohen's kappa. Discordant cases were reviewed by an expert, and the main reasons for discrepancies evaluated., Results: Pooling data from both databases generated a sample of 2867 patients. Of these, O/S-SSI was detected in 414 patients-235 were common to both registry systems, with satisfactory concordance (κ = 0.69, 95% confidence interval 0.65-0.73). The rate of discordance from the CCP (positive cases in VINCat and negative in CCP) was 2.7%, and from VINCat (positive in CCP and negative in VINCat) was 3.6%. External review confirmed O/S-SSI in 66.2% of the cases in the CCP registry and 52.9% in VINCat., Conclusions: This type of synergy shows the potential of pooling data from two different information sources with a satisfactory level of agreement as a means to improving O/S-SSI detection., Clinicaltrials: gov Identifier: NCT06104579. Registered 30 November 2023., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Recently, positive circumferential resection margin has been found to be an indicator of advanced disease with a high risk of distant recurrence rather than local recurrence., Objective: The study aimed to analyze the prognostic impact of the circumferential resection margin on long-term oncological outcomes in patients with rectal cancer., Design: This was a multicenter, propensity score-matched (2:1) analysis comparing the positive and negative circumferential resection margins., Settings: The study was conducted at 5 high-volume centers in Spain., Patients: Patients who underwent total mesorectal excision with curative intent for middle-low rectal cancer between 2006 and 2014 were included., Main Outcome Measures: The main outcomes were local recurrence, distant recurrence, overall survival, and disease-free survival., Results: The unmatched initial cohort consisted of 1599 patients, of whom 4.9% had a positive circumferential resection margin. After matching, 234 patients were included (156 with a negative circumferential margin and 78 with a positive circumferential margin). The median follow-up period was 52.5 (22.0-69.5) months. Local recurrence was significantly higher in patients with a positive circumferential margin (33.3% vs 11.5%; p < 0.001). Distant recurrence was similar in both groups (46.2% vs 42.3%; p = 0.651). There were no statistically significant differences in 5-year overall survival (48.6% vs 43.6%; p = 0.14). Disease-free survival was lower in patients with a positive circumferential margin (36.1% vs 52.3%; p = 0.026)., Limitations: This study was limited by its retrospective design. The different neoadjuvant treatment options were not included in the propensity score., Conclusions: The positive circumferential resection margin was associated with a higher local recurrence rate and worse disease-free survival in comparison with the negative circumferential resection margin. However, the positive circumferential resection margin was not a prognostic indicator of distant recurrence and overall survival. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B950 ., Valor Pronstico Del Margen De Reseccin Circunferencial Despus De La Ciruga Curativa Para El Cncer De Recto Un Anlisis Multicntrico Emparejado Por Puntaje De Propensin: ANTECEDENTES:En los últimos años, se ha encontrado que el margen de resección circunferencial positivo es un indicador de enfermedad avanzada con alto riesgo de recurrencia a distancia más que de recurrencia local.OBJETIVO:El objetivo fue analizar el impacto pronóstico del margen de resección circunferencial sobre la recidiva local, a distancia y las tasas de supervivencia en pacientes con cáncer de recto.DISEÑO:Este fue un análisis multicéntrico emparejado por puntaje de propensión 2: 1 que comparó el margen de resección circunferencial positivo y negativo.AJUSTES:El estudio se realizó en 5 centros Españoles de alto volumen.PACIENTES:Se incluyeron pacientes sometidos a escisión total de mesorrecto con intención curativa por cáncer de recto medio-bajo entre 2006-2014. Las características clínicas e histológicas se utilizaron para el emparejamiento.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Los resultadoes principales fueron la recurrencia local, la recurrencia a distancia, la supervivencia global y libre de enfermedad.RESULTADOS:La cohorte inicial no emparejada consistió en 1599 pacientes; El 4,9% tuvo un margen de resección circunferencial positivo. Tras el emparejamiento se incluyeron 234 pacientes (156 con margen circunferencial negativo y 78 con margen circunferencial positivo). La mediana del período de seguimiento fue de 52,5 meses (22,0-69,5). La recurrencia local fue significativamente mayor en pacientes con margen circunferencial positivo, 33,3% vs 11,5% [HR 3,2; IC 95%: 1,83-5,43; p < 0,001]. La recidiva a distancia fue similar en ambos grupos (46,2 % frente a 42,3 %) [HR 1,09, IC 95 %: 0,78-1,90; p = 0,651]. No hubo diferencias significativas en la supervivencia global a 5 años (48,6 % frente a 43,6 %) [HR 1,09, IC 95 %: 0,92-1,78; p = 0,14]; La supervivencia libre de enfermedad fue menor en pacientes con margen circunferencial positivo, 36,1% vs 52,3% [HR 1,5; IC 95%: 1,05-2,06; p = 0,026].LIMITACIONES:Este estudio estuvo limitado por el diseño retrospectivo. Las diferentes opciones de tratamientos neoadyuvantes no se han incluido en la puntuación de propensión.CONCLUSIONES:El margen de resección circunferencial positivo se asocia con una mayor tasa de recurrencia local y peor supervivencia libre de enfermedad en comparación con el margen de resección circunferencial negativo. Sin embargo, el margen de resección circunferencial positivo no fue un indicador pronóstico de recidiva a distancia ni de supervivencia global. Consulte el Video del Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B950 . (Traducción- Dr. Yesenia Rojas-Khalil )., (Copyright © The ASCRS 2022.)

Aim: The choice of whether to perform protective ileostomy (PI) after anterior resection (AR) is mainly guided by risk factors (RFs) responsible for the development of anastomotic leakage (AL). However, clear guidelines about PI creation are still lacking in the literature and this is often decided according to the surgeon's preferences, experiences or feelings. This qualitative study aims to investigate, by an open-ended question survey, the individual surgeon's decision-making process regarding PI creation after elective AR., Method: Fifty four colorectal surgeons took part in an electronic survey to answer the questions and describe what usually led their decision to perform PI. A content analysis was used to code the answers. To classify answers, five dichotomous categories (In favour/Against PI, Listed/Unlisted RFs, Typical/Atypical, Emotions/Non-emotions, Personal experience/No personal experience) have been developed., Results: Overall, 76% of surgeons were in favour of PI creation and 88% considered listed RFs in the question of whether to perform PI. Atypical answers were reported in 10% of cases. Emotions and personal experience influenced surgeons' decision-making process in 22% and 49% of cases, respectively. The most frequently considered RFs were the distance of the anastomosis from the anal verge (96%), neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (88%), a positive intraoperative leak test (65%), blood loss (37%) and immunosuppression therapy (35%)., Conclusion: The indications to perform PI following rectal cancer surgery lack standardization and evidence-based guidelines are required to inform practice. Until then, expert opinion can be helpful to assist the decision-making process in patients who have undergone AR for adenocarcinoma., (© 2022 Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.)

Background: The standard treatment of T2-T3ab,N0,M0 rectal cancers is total mesorectal excision (TME) due to the high recurrence rates recorded with local excision. Initial reports of the combination of pre-operative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) have shown reductions in local recurrence. The TAU-TEM study aims to demonstrate the non-inferiority of local recurrence and the improvement in morbidity achieved with CRT-TEM compared with TME. Here we describe morbidity rates and pathological outcomes., Patients and Methods: This was a prospective, multicentre, randomised controlled non-inferiority trial including patients with rectal adenocarcinoma staged as T2-T3ab,N0,M0. Patients were randomised to the CRT-TEM or the TME group. Patients included, tolerance of CRT and its adverse effects, surgical complications (Clavien-Dindo and Comprehensive Complication Index classifications) and pathological results (complete response in the CRT-TEM group) were recorded in both groups. Patients attended follow-up controls for local and systemic relapse., Trial Registration: NCT01308190., Results: From July 2010 to October 2021, 173 patients from 17 Spanish hospitals were included (CRT-TEM: 86, TME: 87). Eleven were excluded after randomisation (CRT-TEM: 5, TME: 6). Modified intention-to-treat analysis thus included 81 patients in each group. There was no mortality after CRT. In the CRT-TEM group, one patient abandoned CRT, 1/81 (1.2%). The CRT-related morbidity rate was 29.6% (24/81). Post-operative morbidity was 17/82 (20.7%) in the CRT-TEM group and 41/81 (50.6%) in the TME group (P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval 42.9% to 16.7%). One patient died in each group (1.2%). Of the 81 patients in the CRT-TEM group who received the allocated treatment, 67 (82.7%) underwent organ preservation. Pathological complete response in the CRT-TEM group was 44.3% (35/79). In the TME group, pN1 were found in 17/81 (21%)., Conclusion: CRT-TEM treatment obtains high pathological complete response rates (44.3%) and a high CRT compliance rate (98.8%). Post-operative complications and hospitalisation rates were significantly lower than those in the TME group. We await the results of the follow-up regarding cancer outcomes and quality of life., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 European Society for Medical Oncology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Benchmark comparisons in surgery allow identification of gaps in the quality of care provided. The aim of this study was to determine quality thresholds for high (HAR) and low (LAR) anterior resections in colorectal cancer surgery by applying the concept of benchmarking., Methods: This 5-year multinational retrospective study included patients who underwent anterior resection for cancer in 19 high-volume centres on five continents. Benchmarks were defined for 11 relevant postoperative variables at discharge, 3 months, and 6 months (for LAR). Benchmarks were calculated for two separate cohorts: patients without (ideal) and those with (non-ideal) outcome-relevant co-morbidities. Benchmark cut-offs were defined as the 75th percentile of each centre's median value., Results: A total of 3903 patients who underwent HAR and 3726 who had LAR for cancer were analysed. After 3 months' follow-up, the mortality benchmark in HAR for ideal and non-ideal patients was 0.0 versus 3.0 per cent, and in LAR it was 0.0 versus 2.2 per cent. Benchmark results for anastomotic leakage were 5.0 versus 6.9 per cent for HAR, and 13.6 versus 11.8 per cent for LAR. The overall morbidity benchmark in HAR was a Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI®) score of 8.6 versus 14.7, and that for LAR was CCI® score 11.9 versus 18.3., Conclusion: Regular comparison of individual-surgeon or -unit outcome data against benchmark thresholds may identify gaps in care quality that can improve patient outcome., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Society Ltd. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Colorectal cancer management may require an ostomy formation; however, a stoma may negatively impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to compare generic and stoma-specific HRQoL in patients with a permanent colostomy after rectal cancer across different countries., Method: A cross-sectional cohorts of patients with a colostomy after rectal cancer in Denmark, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, China, Portugal, Australia, Lithuania, Egypt, and Israel were invited to complete questionnaires regarding demographic and socioeconomic factors along with the Colostomy Impact (CI) score, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and five anchor questions assessing colostomy impact on HRQoL. The background characteristics of the cohorts from each country were compared and generic HRQoL was measured with the EORTC QLQ-C30 presented for the total cohort. Results were compared with normative data of reference European populations. The predictors of reduced HRQoL were investigated by multivariable logistic regression, including demographic and socioeconomic factors and stoma-related problems., Results: A total of 2557 patients were included. Response rates varied between 51-93 per cent. Mean time from stoma creation was 2.5-6.2 (range 1.1-39.2) years. A total of 25.8 per cent of patients reported that their colostomy impairs their HRQoL 'some'/'a lot'. This group had significantly unfavourable scores across all EORTC subscales compared with patients reporting 'no'/'a little' impaired HRQoL. Generic HRQoL differed significantly between countries, but resembled the HRQoL of reference populations. Multivariable logistic regression showed that stoma dysfunction, including high CI score (OR 3.32), financial burden from the stoma (OR 1.98), unemployment (OR 2.74), being single/widowed (OR 1.35) and young age (OR 1.01 per year) predicted reduced stoma-related HRQoL., Conclusion: Overall HRQoL is preserved in patients with a colostomy after rectal cancer, but a quarter of the patients interviewed reported impaired HRQoL. Differences among several countries were reported and socioeconomic factors correlated with reduced quality of life., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Society Ltd.)

Purpose: Stoma-related problems are known to be important to patients and potentially affect everyday life. The prevalence of stoma-related problems in rectal cancer survivors remains undetermined. This study aimed to examine aspects of life with a long-term stoma, stoma management, and stoma-related problems and explore the impact of stoma-related problems on daily life., Methods: In total, 2262 patients from 5 European countries completed a multidimensional survey. Stoma-related problems were assessed using the Colostomy Impact score. Multivariable regression analysis, after adjusting for potential confounding factors, provided odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for stoma-related problems' association with restrictions in daily life., Results: The 2262 rectal cancer survivors completed the questionnaire at a median of 5.4 years (interquartile range 3.8-7.6) after stoma formation. In the total sample, leakage (58%) and troublesome odour (55%) were most prevalent followed by skin problems (27%) and pain (21%). Stoma-related problems were more prevalent in patients with parastomal bulging. A total of 431 (19%) reported feeling restricted in daily activities in life with a stoma. Leakage, odour, skin problems, stool consistency, and frequent appliance changes were significantly associated with restrictions in daily life. The highest risk of experiencing restrictions was seen for patients having odour (OR 2.74 [95% CI: 1.99-3.78]) more than once a week and skin problems (OR 1.77 [95% CI: 1.38-2.27])., Conclusion: In this large cohort with rectal cancer, stoma-related problems were highly prevalent and impacted daily life. Supportive care strategies should entail outreach to patients with a long-term stoma., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The clinical value of transanal total mesorectal excision is debated., Objective: This study aimed to compare short- and medium-term effects of transanal versus anterior total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer., Design: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study., Setting: The study included all Catalonian public hospitals., Patients: All patients receiving transanal or anterior total mesorectal excision (open or laparoscopic) for nonmetastatic primary rectal cancer in 2015 to 2016 were included., Main Outcome Measures: Data on vital status were collected to March 2019. Between-group differences were minimized by applying propensity score matching to baseline patient characteristics. Competing risk models were used to assess systemic and local recurrence along with death at 2 years, and multivariable Cox regression was used to assess 2-year disease-free survival. Results are expressed with their 95% CIs., Results: The final subsample was 537 patients receiving total mesorectal excision (transanal approach: n = 145; anterior approach: n = 392). Median follow-up was 39.2 months (interquartile range, 33.0-45.8). Accounting for death as a competing event, there was no association between transanal total mesorectal excision and local recurrence (matched subhazard ratio 1.28, 95% CI 0.55-2.96). There were no statistical differences in the comparative rate of local recurrence (transanal: 1.77 per 100 person-years, 95% CI 0.76-3.34; anterior: 1.37 per 100 person-years, 95% CI 0.8-2.15) or mortality (transanal: 3.98 per 100 person-years, 95% CI 2.36-6.16; anterior: 2.99 per 100 person-years, 95% CI 2.1-4.07). Groups presented similar 2-year cumulative incidence of local recurrence (4.83% versus 3.57%) and disease-free survival (HR, 1.33; 95% CI 0.92-1.92)., Limitations: We used data only from the public system, the study is retrospective, and data on individual surgeons are not reported., Conclusion: These population-based results support the use of either the transanal, open, or laparoscopic approach for rectal cancer in Catalonia. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B744.ESCISIÓN MESORRECTAL TOTAL TRANSANAL VERSUS ESCISIÓN MESORRECTAL TOTAL ANTERIOR PARA EL CÁNCER DE RECTO: UN ESTUDIO POBLACIONAL CON EMPAREJAMIENTO DE PUNTAJE DE PROPENSIÓN EN CATALUÑA, ESPAÑA., Antecedentes: Se debate el valor clínico de la escisión mesorrectal total transanal., Objetivo: Comparar los efectos a corto y mediano plazo de la escisión mesorrectal total transanal versus anterior para el cáncer de recto., Diseo: Este fue un estudio de cohorte retrospectivo multicéntrico., Ajuste: El estudio incluyó a todos los hospitales públicos de Cataluña., Pacientes: Todos los pacientes no metastásicos que recibieron escisión mesorrectal total anterior o transanal (abierta o laparoscópica) por cáncer de recto primario en 2015-16., Principales Medidas De Valoracion: Los datos sobre el estado vital se recopilaron hasta marzo de 2019. Las diferencias entre los grupos se minimizaron aplicando el emparejamiento de puntajes de propensión a las características iniciales del paciente. Se utilizaron modelos de riesgo competitivo para evaluar la recurrencia sistémica y local junto con la muerte a los dos años, y la regresión de Cox multivariable para evaluar la supervivencia libre de enfermedad a dos años. Los resultados se expresan con sus intervalos de confianza del 95%., Resultados: La submuestra final fue de 537 pacientes que recibieron escisión mesorrectal total (abordaje transanal: n = 145; abordaje anterior: n = 392). La mediana de seguimiento fue de 39,2 meses (rango intercuartílico 33,0-45,8). Teniendo en cuenta la muerte como un evento competitivo, no hubo asociación entre la escisión mesorrectal total transanal y la recurrencia local (cociente de subriesgo apareado 1,28, 0,55-2,96). No hubo diferencias estadísticas en la tasa comparativa de recurrencia local (transanal: 1,77 por 100 personas-año, 0,76-3,34; anterior: 1,37 por 100 personas-año, 0,8-2,15) o mortalidad (transanal: 3,98 por 100 personas-año, 2,36-6,16; anterior: 2,99 por 100 personas-año, 2,1-4,07). Los grupos presentaron una incidencia acumulada de dos años similar de recidiva local (4,83% frente a 3,57%, respectivamente) y supervivencia libre de enfermedad (índice de riesgo 1,33, 0,92-1,92)., Limitaciones: Utilizamos datos solo del sistema público, el estudio es retrospectivo y no se informan datos sobre cirujanos individuales., Conclusiones: Estos resultados poblacionales apoyan el uso del abordaje transanal, abierto o laparoscópico para el cáncer de recto en Cataluña. Consulte. Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B744. (Traducción- Dr. Francisco M. Abarca-Rendon)., (Copyright © The ASCRS 2021.)

Background: Defunctioning ileostomy creation and closure are both associated with morbidity. There is little data available about complications after ileostomy closure. The aim of this study was to evaluate morbidity related to loop ileostomy closure (LIC) and to determine if patients with postoperative complications in primary surgery suffer from more postoperative complications during stoma closure., Methods: This was a retrospective study on prospectively registered consecutive patients undergoing elective LIC in a single centre in Spain between April 2010 and December 2017. Baseline characteristics, postoperative complications after primary surgery and after stoma closure were recorded. Primary surgery included any colorectal resection, elective or urgent associated with a diverting loop ileostomy either as a protective stoma or rescue procedure. A logistic regression model was used to assess the effects of baseline variables and postoperative complications after primary surgery on the existence of postoperative complications related to LIC., Results: Four hundred and twenty-eight patients (288 men, median age 64.5 years [IQR 55.1-72.3 years]) were included in the study, and 37.4%, developed complications after LIC. The most common was paralytic ileus. Only chronic kidney disease (OR 2.31; 95% CI 1.03-5.33, p = 0.043), existence of postoperative complications after primary surgery (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.41-3.66, p =  < 0.001) and ileostomy closure later than 10 months after primary surgery (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.00-2.33, p = 0.049) were statistically significant in the multivariate analysis., Conclusions: Patients with chronic kidney disease, those who had any complication after primary surgery and those who had LIC > 10 months after primary surgery have a significantly higher risk of developing postoperative complications., (© 2021. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of ypN+ status according to ypT category in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy and total mesorectal excision, and to assess the impact of ypN+ on disease recurrence and survival by pooled analysis of individual-patient data., Methods: Individual-patient data from 10 studies of chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer were included. Pooled rates of ypN+ disease were calculated with 95 per cent confidence interval for each ypT category. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were undertaken to assess influence of ypN status on 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS)., Results: Data on 1898 patients were included in the study. Median follow-up was 50 (range 0-219) months. The pooled rate of ypN+ disease was 7 per cent for ypT0, 12 per cent for ypT1, 17 per cent for ypT2, 40 per cent for ypT3, and 46 per cent for ypT4 tumours. Patients with ypN+ disease had lower 5-year DFS and OS (46.2 and 63.4 per cent respectively) than patients with ypN0 tumours (74.5 and 83.2 per cent) (P < 0.001). Cox regression analyses showed ypN+ status to be an independent predictor of recurrence and death., Conclusion: Risk of nodal metastases (ypN+) after chemoradiotherapy increases with advancing ypT category and needs to be considered if an organ-preserving strategy is contemplated., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Society Ltd. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Aim: Optimal oncological resection in cancers of the lower rectum often requires a permanent colostomy. However, in some patients a colostomy may have a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The Colostomy Impact (CI) score is a simple questionnaire that identifies patients with stoma dysfunction that impairs HRQoL by dividing patients into 'minor' and 'major' CI groups. This aim of this study is to evaluate construct and discriminative validity, sensitivity, specificity and reliability of the CI score internationally, making it applicable for screening and identification of patients with stoma-related impaired HRQoL., Method: The CI score was translated in agreement with WHO recommendations. Cross-sectional cohorts of rectal cancer survivors with a colostomy in Australia, China, Denmark, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden were asked to complete the CI score, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) quality of life 30-item core questionnaire, the stoma-specific items of the EORTC quality of life 29-item colorectal-specific questionnaire and five anchor questions assessing the impact of colostomy on HRQoL., Results: A total of 2470 patients participated (response rate 51%-93%). CI scores were significantly higher in patients reporting reduced HRQoL due to their colostomy than in patients reporting no reduction. Differences in EORTC scale scores between patients with minor and major CI were significant and clinically relevant. Sensitivity was high regarding dissatisfaction with a colostomy. Regarding evaluation of discriminative validity, the CI score relevantly identified groups with differences in HRQoL. The CI score proved reliable, with equal CI scores between test and retest and an intraclass correlation coefficient in the moderate to excellent range., Conclusion: The CI score is internationally valid and reliable. We encourage its use in clinical practice to identify patients with stoma dysfunction who require further attention., (© 2021 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.)

Introduction: Preoperative treatment and adequate surgery increase local control in rectal cancer. However, modalities and indications for neoadjuvant treatment may be controversial. Aim of this study was to assess the trends of preoperative treatment and outcomes in patients with rectal cancer included in the Rectal Cancer Registry of the Spanish Associations of Surgeons., Method: This is a STROBE-compliant retrospective analysis of a prospective database. All patients operated on with curative intention included in the Rectal Cancer Registry were included. Analyses were performed to compare the use of neoadjuvant/adjuvant treatment in three timeframes: I)2006-2009; II)2010-2013; III)2014-2017. Survival analyses were run for 3-year survival in timeframes I-II., Results: Out of 14,391 patients,8871 (61.6%) received neoadjuvant treatment. Long-course chemo/radiotherapy was the most used approach (79.9%), followed by short-course radiotherapy ± chemotherapy (7.6%). The use of neoadjuvant treatment for cancer of the upper third (15-11 cm) increased over time (31.5%vs 34.5%vs 38.6%,p = 0.0018). The complete regression rate slightly increased over time (15.6% vs 16% vs 18.5%; p = 0.0093); the proportion of patients with involved circumferential resection margins (CRM) went down from 8.2% to 7.3%and 5.5% (p = 0.0004). Neoadjuvant treatment significantly decreased positive CRM in lower third tumors (OR 0.71, 0.59-0.87, Cochrane-Mantel-Haenszel P = 0.0008). Most ypN0 patients also received adjuvant therapy. In MR-defined stage III patients, preoperative treatment was associated with significantly longer local-recurrence-free survival (p < 0.0001), and cancer-specific survival (p < 0.0001). The survival benefit was smaller in upper third cancers., Conclusion: There was an increasing trend and a potential overuse of neoadjuvant treatment in cancer of the upper rectum. Most ypN0 patients received postoperative treatment. Involvement of CRM in lower third tumors was reduced after neoadjuvant treatment. Stage III and MRcN + benefited the most., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None declared., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Background: Preoperative chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine is considered as a standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer. The "Tratamiento de Tumores Digestivos" group (TTD) previously reported in a randomized Ph II study that the addition of Bevacizumab to capecitabine-RT conferred no differences in the pre-defined efficacy endpoint (pathological complete response). We present the follow-up results of progression-free survival, distant relapse-free survival, and overall survival data at 3 and 5 years., Methods: Patients (pts) were randomized to receive 5 weeks of radiotherapy (45 Gy/25 fractions) with concurrent Capecitabine 825 mg/m2 twice daily, 5 days per week with (arm A) or without (arm b) bevacizumab (5 mg/kg once every 2 weeks)., Results: In our study, the addition of bevacizumab to capecitabine and radiotherapy in the neoadjuvant setting shows no differences in pathological complete response (15.9% vs 10.9%), distant relapse-free survival (81.0 vs 80.4 and 76.2% vs 78.2% at 3 and 5 years respectively), disease-free survival (75% vs 71.7 and 68.1% vs 69.57% at 3 and 5 years respectively) nor overall survival at 5-years of follow-up (81.8% vs 86.9%)., Conclusions: the addition of bevacizumab to capecitabine plus radiotherapy does not confer statistically significant advantages neither in distant relapse-free survival nor in disease-free survival nor in Overall Survival in the short or long term., Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2009-010192-24 . Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT01043484 .

Importance: Two-stage Turnbull-Cutait pull-through hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis seems to provide benefits in terms of postoperative morbidity compared with standard hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis associated with diverting ileostomy and further ileostomy reversal in patients operated on for low rectal cancer., Objective: To compare 30-day postoperative and 1-year follow-up results of Turnbull-Cutait pull-through hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis and standard hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis after ultralow rectal resection for rectal cancer., Design, Setting, and Participants: Multicenter randomized clinical trial. Neither patients nor surgeons were blinded for technique. Patients were recruited in 3 centers, Bellvitge University Hospital and Valle d'Hebron University Hospital in Spain and Instituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale-Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico in Italy. Patients undergoing ultralow anterior rectal resection needing hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis were randomly assigned to 2-stage Turnbull-Cutait pull-through hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis or standard hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis associated with diverting ileostomy. Data were analyzed between June 2012 and October 2018., Interventions: All patients underwent ultralow anterior resection. Patients assigned to the 2-stage Turnbull-Cutait pull-through group underwent exteriorization of a segment of left colon through the anal canal and, after 6 to 10 days, the exteriorized colon was resected and a delayed hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis was performed. For patients assigned to standard coloanal anastomosis, the hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis was performed with diverting ileostomy at first operation. Closure of the ileostomy was planned after 6 to 8 months., Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome was 30-day postoperative morbidity. For the standard hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis with diverting ileostomy group, overall postoperative morbidity includes 30-day postoperative complications of the ileostomy closure., Results: Ninety-two white patients, 72 men and 20 women, with a median age of 62 years, were randomized and included in the analysis. Forty-six patients received standard hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis with diverting ileostomy and 46 received the 2-stage pull-through hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis. Seven patients (15.2%) in the standard hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis group did not undergo reversal ileostomy, and 1 patient (2.2%) in the 2-stage pull-through hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis group did not undergo delayed coloanal anastomosis. The 30-day overall composite postoperative complications rate was similar between the 2 groups (34.8% in 2-stage pull-through hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis group vs 45.7% in standard hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis group; P = .40), with a difference of -10.9 (95% CI, -29.5 to 8.9)., Conclusions and Relevance: The 2-stage pull-through hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis after ultralow anterior resection for low rectal cancer is safe and does not increase the postoperative morbidity rate compared with standard coloanal anastomosis with covering ileostomy followed by ileostomy closure., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01766661.

Introduction: the goal of this study was to compare the oncological results (local recurrence, metastasis and overall survival) obtained by the Proyecto Docente del Cáncer de Recto of the Spanish Association of Surgeons (AEC) (Proyecto Vikingo, PV) in Catalonia versus the rest of Spanish autonomous communities., Methods: the PV database includes 4,508 patients who underwent a curative resection between March 2006 and December 2010, from the first 59 hospitals included in PV; 1,163 were from Catalonia and 3,345 were from the rest of Spain. There was a minimum follow-up of five years., Results: in Catalonia, the five-year cumulative incidence was 8% (95% CI: 6.4-9.9) for local recurrence, 17.7% (95% CI: 15.4-20.2) for metastasis and 75% (95% CI: 72.4-77.7) for overall survival. In the rest of autonomous communities, these figures were 7% (95% CI: 6.2-8.2) for local recurrence, 22.3% (95% CI: 20.7-23.9) for metastasis, and 71% (95% CI: 69.4-72.9) for overall survival. Variables associated with tumor recurrence in PV included Hartmann's procedure, intraoperative perforation and circumferential margin involvement., Conclusion: the results obtained by the Proyecto Docente del Cáncer de Recto were homogeneous between Catalonia and the rest of the autonomous communities.

Aim: The oncological risk/benefit trade-off for laparoscopy in rectal cancer is controversial. Our aim was to compare laparoscopic vs open surgery for resection of rectal cancer, using unselected data from the public healthcare system of Catalonia (Spain)., Methods: This was a multicentre retrospective cohort study of all patients who had surgery with curative intent for primary rectal cancer at Catalonian public hospitals from 2011 to 2012. We obtained follow-up data for up to 5 years. To minimize the differences between the two groups, we performed propensity score matching on baseline patient characteristics. We used multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to assess locoregional relapse at 2 years and death at 2 and 5 years., Results: Of 1513 patients with Stage I-III rectal cancer, 933 (61.7%) had laparoscopy (conversion rate 13.2%). After applying our propensity score matching strategy (2:1), 842 laparoscopy patients were matched to 517 open surgery patients. Multivariate Cox analysis of death at 2 years [hazard ratio (HR) 0.65, 95% CI 0.48, 0.87; P = 0.004] and 5 years (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.5, 0.75; P < 0.001) and of local relapse at 2 years (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.27, 0.72; P = 0.001) showed laparoscopy to be an independent protective factor compared with open surgery., Conclusions: Laparoscopy results in lower locoregional relapse and long-term mortality in rectal cancer in unselected patients with all-risk groups included. Studies using long-term follow-up of cohorts and unselected data can provide information on clinically relevant outcomes to supplement randomized controlled trials., (Colorectal Disease © 2018 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.)

Aim: To identify short-term and oncologic outcomes of pelvic exenterations (PE) for locally advanced primary rectal cancer (LAPRC) in patients included in a national prospective database., Methods: Few studies report on PE in patients with LAPRC. For this study, we included PE for LAPRC performed between 2006 and 2017, as available, from the Rectal Cancer Registry of the Spanish Association of Surgeons [Asociación Española de Cirujanos (AEC)]. Primary endpoints included procedure-associated complications, 5-year local recurrence (LR), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). A propensity-matched comparison with patients who underwent non-exenterative surgery for low rectal cancers was performed as a secondary endpoint., Results: Eight-two patients were included. The mean age was 61.8 ± 11.5 years. More than half of the patients experienced at least one complication. Surgical site infections were the most common complication (abdominal wound 18.3%, perineal closure 19.4%). Thirty-three multivisceral resections were performed, including two hepatectomies and four metastasectomies. The long-term outcomes of the 64 patients operated on before 2013 were assessed. The five-year LR was 15.6%, the distant recurrence rate was 21.9%, and OS was 67.2%, with a mean survival of 43.8 mo. R+ve resection increased LR [hazard ratio (HR) = 5.58, 95%CI: 1.04-30.07, P = 0.04]. The quality of the mesorectum was associated with DFS. Perioperative complications were independent predictors of shorter survival (HR = 3.53, 95%CI: 1.12-10.94, P = 0.03). In the propensity-matched analysis, PE was associated with better quality of the specimen and tended to achieve lower LR with similar OS., Conclusion: PE is an extensive procedure, justified if disease-free margins can be obtained. Further studies should define indications, accreditation policy, and quality of life in LAPRC., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors declare no conflict of interest related to the manuscript.

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the quality of life (QoL), low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) and fecal incontinence after surgery for mid to low rectal cancer and its relationship with the type of surgical procedure performed., Methods: A cross-sectional cohort survey study of 358 patients operated on for mid to low rectal cancer. Patients were included in three groups: abdominoperineal resection (APR), low mechanical colorectal anastomosis (CRA) and hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis (CAA). The QLQ-C30/CR29 questionnaires, LARS and Vaizey scores were used to study QoL and defecatory dysfunction. Multivariable analysis was used to estimate the prognostic effect of the variables on QoL and LARS scores., Results: 62.6% of the patients answered the survey. The global QoL score was similar among APR, CRA and CAA. Patients' body image perception was significantly worse after APR than after CRA or CAA. LARS score was better in CRA group (p = 0.002). A major LARS was observed in 83.3% of the patients who underwent CAA and in 56.6% of the patients who underwent CRA. No relationship between surgical procedures and the global QoL score was observed. Neoadjuvant radiotherapy (p = 0.048) and CAA (p = 0.005) were associated with a major LARS. The Vaizey score was higher for CAA than for CRA (p = 0.036)., Conclusions: Though CAA group presents worse LARS and higher faecal incontinence scores respect CRA patients, and APR is related with a worse body image, global QoL was similar in the three groups., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The objective of this observational, prospective, multicenter and multilevel study was to evaluate the oncological outcomes (local recurrence, metastasis and overall survival) of the Rectal Cancer Project of the Spanish Association of Surgeons (AEC) 10 years after its initiation, comparing the results with Scandinavian registries., Methods: The AEC teaching project database includes 17,620 patients to date, of which 4,508 were operated on with a potentially curative resection between March 2006 and December 2010. All of them come from the first 59 hospitals included in the project, and therefore followed for at least 5 years, and are the subject of the present study., Results: The cumulative incidence of local recurrence was 7.3 (95% CI: 8.2-6.5), metastasis 21.0 (CI 95%: 22.4-19.7) and overall survival 72.3 (CI 95%: 80.3-77.6). The multilevel regression analysis with the hospital variable as a random effect, showed a significant variation among the hospitals for the cancer outcome variables: general survival, local recurrence and metastasis (δ2=0.053)., Conclusions: This study indicates that the results observed in the AEC' Rectal Cancer Project are inferior than those observed in the Scandinavian registries that we tried to emulate and that this is attributable to the variability of practice in some centers., (Copyright © 2017 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether patients that underwent ultra-low rectal resection for cancer can benefit from the recently reintroduced two-stage Turnbull-Cutait abdominoperineal pull-through procedure., Methods: Patients with low rectal tumors undergoing radical sphincter-sparing resection are eligible for inclusion in a randomized multicenter study. Whether two-stage Turnbull-Cutait coloanal anastomosis provides significant benefits over hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis and associated lateral ileostomy in terms of postoperative morbidity is the primary endpoint. In addition, the study aims to assess secondary endpoints such as quality of life, fecal incontinence, and locoregional recurrence of the neoplasm. Patients with adenocarcinoma of the lower rectum diagnosed by rigid proctoscopy, with histological confirmation of malignancy, and who are candidates of rectal removal and coloanal anastomosis will be included in a randomized controlled and multicenter trial. Postoperative morbidity is defined as complications that occur within 30 days of the data of the second surgical procedure of the last patient included in the trial. Patients will be followed for a minimum period of 3 years., Conclusions: The two-stage Turnbull-Cutait coloanal anastomosis may constitute an effective surgical alternative in the current approach to the treatment of low rectal cancer without the need of a temporary loop colostomy, preventing the wide range of complications related to stoma surgery., Trial Registration: This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (trial number: NCT01766661). This trial is registered in January 10, 2013.

Background: Rectal cancer surgery in Catalonia has been involved in a process of centralisation. We assessed the impact of this health policy strategy on quality of care and clinical results., Methods: We compared patterns of care and clinical outcomes of all rectal cancer patients receiving radical surgery for the first time in public hospitals in two time periods, before (2005 and 2007) and after (2011-2012) centralisation, analysing indicators of care quality according to the regional clinical practice guidelines. Clinical outcomes at two years were also assessed., Results: A total of 3780 patients were included. From 2005 to 2012, the proportion of patients treated surgically for the first time in centres whose annual surgical caseload was more than 11 increased from 84.0% to 90.4%. The rate of locoregional recurrence at two years fell from 4.5 to 3.06/100 person-years (p = 0.005). The crude mortality rate at three months, one and two years was reduced by 55%, 40% and 34% (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Improvements in quality of care might be associated with the centralisation of surgery and with the selective focus effect derived from the process of auditing. Our results support the continuation of clinical auditing and surveillance of authorised centres., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the reduction in the incidence of parastomal hernia (PH) after placement of prophylactic synthetic mesh using a modified Sugarbaker technique when a permanent end-colostomy is needed., Summary of Background Data: Prevention of PH formation is crucial given the high prevalence of PH and difficulties in the surgical repair of PH., Methods: A randomized, prospective, double-blind, and controlled trial. Rectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection with permanent colostomy were randomized (1 : 1) to the mesh and nonmesh arms. In the mesh group, a large-pore lightweight composite mesh was placed in the intraperitoneal/onlay fashion using a modified Sugarbaker technique. PH was detected by computed tomography (CT) after a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Analysis was per-protocol., Results: The mesh group included 24 patients and the control group 28. Preoperative data, surgical time, and postoperative morbidity were similar. The median follow-up was 26 months. After CT examination, 6 of 24 PHs (25%) were observed in the mesh group compared with 18 of 28 (64.3%) in the nonmesh group (odds ratio 0.39, 95% confidence interval 0.18-0.82; P = 0.005). The Kaplan-Meier curves showed significant differences in favor of the mesh group (long-rank = 4.21, P = 0.04). The number needed to treat was 2.5, which confirmed the effectiveness of the intervention., Conclusions: Placement of a prosthetic mesh by the laparoscopic approach following the modified Sugarbaker technique is safe and effective in the prevention of PH, reducing significantly the incidence of PH.

Introduction: The only curative treatment of pelvic recurrence of rectal cancer is radical resection. The aim of this paper is to analyze our experience in surgery for local recurrence of rectal cancer., Methods: We performed a descriptive retrospective analysis of patients treated with curative intent for local recurrence of rectal cancer from May 2000 to January 2014. The presence of resectable liver or lung metastases was not an exclusion criterion. The descriptive results, overall survival and disease free survival are presented., Results: A total of 35 patients were included. In 18 patients an abdomino-perineal resection of the remaining rectum was performed. Two of them included excision of lower sacral vertebrae, while in 17 patients, sphincter sparing surgery was performed. The most frequent postoperative complications were pelvic collection and postoperative ileus. Seven patients required reoperation and one patient died. Overall survival at one year was 91.2%, at 2 years 75.6% and at 5 years 37%., Conclusions: Local recurrence of rectal cancer is a disease with high curability rate. The only curative option is radical surgery, with acceptable mortality., (Copyright © 2016 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: INTRODUCCIóN: The purpose of this prospective multicentre multilevel study was to investigate the influence of hospital caseload on long-term outcomes following standardization of rectal cancer surgery in the Rectal Cancer Project of the Spanish Society of Surgeons., Methods: Data relating to 2910 consecutive patients with rectal cancer treated for cure between March 2006 and March 2010 were recorded in a prospective database. Hospitals were classified according to number of patients treated per year as low-volume, intermediate-volume, or high volume hospitals (12-23, 24-35, or ≥36 procedures per year)., Results: After a median follow-up of 5 years, cumulative rates of local recurrence, metastatic recurrence and overall survival were 6.6 (CI95% 5.6-7.6), 20.3 (CI95% 18.8-21.9) and 73.0 (CI95% 74.7 - 71.3) respectively. In the multilevel regression analysis overall survival was higher for patients treated at hospitals with an annual caseload of 36 or more patients (HR 0,727 [CI95% 0,556-0,951]; P=.02). The risk of local recurrence and metastases were not related to the caseload. Moreover, there was a statistically significant variation in overall survival (median hazard ratio [MHR] 1.184 [CI95% 1.071-1,333]), local recurrence (MHR 1.308 [CI95% 1.010-1.668]) and metastases (MHR 1.300 [CI95% 1.181; 1.476]) between all hospitals., Conclusions: Overall survival was higher for patients treated at hospitals with an annual caseload of 36 or more patients. However, local recurrence was not influenced by caseload., (Copyright © 2016 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This multicentre observational study aimed to determine the anastomotic leak rate in the hospitals included in the Rectal Cancer Project of the Spanish Society of Surgeons and examine whether hospital volume may contribute to any variation between hospitals., Methods: Hospital variation was quantified using a multilevel approach on prospective data derived from the multicentre database of all adenocarcinomas of the rectum operated by an anterior resection at 84 surgical departments from 2006 to 2013. The following variables were included in the analysis; demographics, American Society of Anaesthesiologists classification, use of defunctioning stoma, tumour location and stage, administration of neoadjuvant treatment, and annual volume of elective surgical procedures., Results: A total of 7231 consecutive patients were included. The rate of anastomotic leak was 10.0%. Stratified by annual surgical volume hospitals varied from 9.9 to 11.3%. In multilevel regression analysis, the risk of anastomotic leak increased in male patients, in patients with tumours located below 12 cm from the anal verge, and advanced tumour stages. However, a defunctioning stoma seemed to prevent this complication. Hospital surgical volume was not associated with anastomotic leak (OR: 0.852, [0.487-1.518]; P=.577). Furthermore, there was a statistically significant variation in anastomotic leak between all departments (MOR: 1.475; [1.321-1.681]; P<0.001)., Conclusion: Anastomotic leak varies significantly among hospitals included in the project and this difference cannot be attributed to the annual surgical volume., (Copyright © 2015 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Changes in the multidisciplinary treatment of rectal cancer have been recently proposed. We performed a comprehensive review of the current data on neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment of rectal cancer, focussing on chemoradiotherapy treatment and timing of surgery. Six components were proposed as the framework for the treatment of rectal cancer: neoadjuvant therapy and changing patterns in patient selection, long- or short-course radiotherapy, adverse effects of radiotherapy, timing of surgery, non-operative management of rectal cancer and postoperative adjuvant therapy. Lack of a consistent difference in terms of local recurrence has been observed between short-course radiotherapy and long-course chemoradiotherapy. Indications for preoperative radiotherapy have been reconsidered in the last years. An interval of 10-11 weeks seemed to be the optimal timing, with no impact on patient safety. Since assessment criteria of clinical complete response are not well defined, and the basis for non-operative management of rectal cancer is still not clear, further investigations are required. There is controversy about standard treatments for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer that are being analyzed by ongoing studies. Tailored treatments could avoid over-treatment for a large number of patients without any impairment of the oncologic results.

Objective: This multicentre observational study examines variation between hospitals in postoperative mortality after elective surgery in the Rectal Cancer Project of the Spanish Society of Surgeons and explores whether hospital volume and patient characteristics contribute to any variation between hospitals., Methods: Hospital variation was quantified using a multilevel approach on prospective data derived from the multicentre database of all rectal adenocarcinomas operated by an anterior resection or an abdominoperineal excision at 84 surgical departments from 2006 to 2013. The following variables were included in the analysis; demographics, American Society of Anaesthesiologists classification, tumour location and stage, administration of neoadjuvant treatment, and annual volume of surgical procedures., Results: A total of 9809 consecutive patients were included. The rate of 30-day postoperative mortality was 1.8% Stratified by annual surgical volume hospitals varied from 1.4 to 2.0 in 30-day mortality. In the multilevel regression analysis, male gender (OR 1.623 [1.143; 2.348]; P<.008), increased age (OR: 5.811 [3.479; 10.087]; P<.001), and ASA score (OR 10.046 [3.390; 43.185]; P<.001) were associated with 30-day mortality. However, annual surgical volume was not associated with mortality (OR 1.309 [0.483; 4.238]; P=.619). Besides, there was a statistically significant variation in mortality between all departments (MOR 1.588 [1.293; 2.015]; P<.001)., Conclusion: Postoperative mortality varies significantly among hospitals included in the project and this difference cannot be attributed to the annual surgical volume., (Copyright © 2015 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Recent literature suggests that the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy (aCT) for rectal cancer patients might depend on the response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CRT). Aim was to evaluate whether the effect of aCT in rectal cancer is modified by response to CRT and to identify which patients benefit from aCT after CRT, by means of a pooled analysis of individual patient data from 13 datasets. Patients were categorized into three groups: pCR (ypT0N0), ypT1-2 tumour and ypT3-4 tumour. Hazard ratios (HR) for the effect of aCT were derived from multivariable Cox regression analyses. Primary outcome measure was recurrence-free survival (RFS). One thousand seven hundred and twenty three (1723) (52%) of 3,313 included patients received aCT. Eight hundred and ninety eight (898) patients had a pCR, 966 had a ypT1-2 tumour and 1,302 had a ypT3-4 tumour. For 122 patients response, category was missing and 25 patients had ypT0N+. Median follow-up for all patients was 51 (0-219) months. HR for RFS with 95% CI for patients treated with aCT were 1.25(0.68-2.29), 0.58(0.37-0.89) and 0.83(0.66-1.10) for patients with pCR, ypT1-2 and ypT3-4 tumours, respectively. The effect of aCT in rectal cancer patients treated with CRT differs between subgroups. Patients with a pCR after CRT may not benefit from aCT, whereas patients with residual tumour had superior outcomes when aCT was administered. The test for interaction did not reach statistical significance, but the results support further investigation of a more individualized approach to administer aCT after CRT and surgery based on pathologic staging., (© 2014 UICC.)

Background: To evaluate whether the addition of bevacizumab (BVZ) to capecitabine-based chemoradiotherapy in the preoperative treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) improves efficacy measured by the pathological complete response (pCR) rate., Methods: A phase II two-step design was performed. Patients received four cycles of therapy consisting of: BVZ 10 mg/kg in first infusion on day 1 and 5 mg/kg on days 15, 29, 43, capecitabine 1800 mg/m(2)/day 5 days per week during radiotherapy, which consisted of external-beam irradiation (45 Gy in 1.8 Gy dose per session over 5 sessions/week for 5 weeks). Six to eight weeks after completion of all therapies surgery was undergone. To profile the biological behaviour during BVZ treatment we measured molecular biomarkers before treatment, during BVZ monotherapy, and during and after combination therapy. Microvessel density (MVD) was measured after surgery., Results: Forty-three patients were assessed and 41 were included in the study. Three patients achieved a pathological complete response (3/40: 7.5%) and 27 (67.5%) had a pathological partial response, (overall pathological response rate of 75%). A further 8 patients (20%) had stable disease, giving a disease control rate of 95%. Downstaging occurred in 31 (31/40: 77.5%) of the patients evaluated. This treatment resulted in an actuarial 4-year disease-free and overall survival of 85.4 and 92.7% respectively. BVZ with chemoradiotherapy showed acceptable toxicity. No correlations were observed between biomarker results and efficacy variables., Conclusion: BVZ with capecitabine and radiotherapy seem safe and active and produce promising survival results in LARC., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00847119 . Trial registration date: February 18, 2009.

Background: Perioperatory chemoradiotherapy (CRT) improves local control and survival in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). The objective of the current study was to evaluate the addition of bevacizumab (BEV) to preoperative capecitabine (CAP)-based CRT in LARC, and to explore biomarkers for downstaging., Methods: Patients (pts) were randomized to receive 5 weeks of radiotherapy 45 Gy/25 fractions with concurrent CAP 825 mg/m(2) twice daily 5 days per week and BEV 5 mg/kg once every 2 weeks (3 doses) (arm A), or the same schedule without BEV (arm B). The primary end point was pathologic complete response (ypCR: ypT0N0)., Results: Ninety pts were included in arm A (44) or arm B (46). Grade 3-4 treatment-related toxicity rates were 16% and 13%, respectively. All patients but one (arm A) proceeded to surgery. The ypCR rate was 16% in arm A and 11% in arm B (p =0.54). Fifty-nine percent vs 39% of pts achieved T-downstaging (arm A vs arm B; p =0.04). Serial samples for biomarker analyses were obtained for 50 out of 90 randomized pts (arm A/B: 22/28). Plasma angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) levels decreased in arm A and increased in arm B (p <0.05 at all time points). Decrease in Ang-2 levels from baseline to day 57 was significantly associated with tumor downstaging (p =0.02)., Conclusions: The addition of BEV to CAP-based preoperative CRT has shown to be feasible in LARC. The association between decreasing Ang-2 levels and tumor downstaging should be further validated in customized studies., Trial Registry: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01043484. Trial registration date: 12/30/2009.

Background: A surgical teaching and auditing program has been implemented to improve the results of treatment for patients with rectal cancer., Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the treatment and outcome in patients resected for rectal cancer, focusing on differences relating to the type of resection., Design: This was an observational study., Settings: The study took place throughout the network of hospitals that compose the National Health Service in Spain., Patients: This study included a consecutive cohort of 3355 patients from the Spanish Rectal Cancer Project. The data of patients who were operated on electively, with curative intent, by anterior resection (n = 2333 [69.5%]), abdominoperineal excision (n = 774 [23.1%]), and Hartmann procedure (n = 248 [7.4%]) between March 2006 and May 2010 were analyzed., Main Outcome Measures: Clinical, pathologic, and outcome results were analyzed in relation to the type of surgery performed., Results: After a median follow-up time of 37 months (interquartile range, 30-48 months), bowel perforations were found to be more common in the Hartmann procedure (12.6%) and abdominoperineal groups (10.1%) than in the anterior resection group (2.3%; p < 0.001). Involvement of the circumferential resection margin was also more common in the Hartmann (16.6%) and abdominoperineal groups (14.3%) than in the anterior resection group (6.6%; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed a negative influence on local recurrence, metastasis, survival for advanced stage, intraoperative perforation, invaded circumferential margin, and Hartmann procedure. However, abdominoperineal excision did not significantly influence local recurrence (HR, 0.945; 95% CI, 0.571-1.563; p = 0.825)., Limitations: The main weakness of this study was the voluntary nature of registration in the Spanish Rectal Cancer Project., Conclusions: Although bowel perforation and involvement of the circumferential resection margin were more common after abdominoperineal excision than after anterior resection, this study did not identify abdominoperineal excision as a determinant of local recurrence in the context of 3 years of median follow-up.

Background: Abdominal perineal excision (APE) was originally described with levator ani removal for rectal cancer. An even wider, more aggressive extralevator resection for APE has been proposed. Although some surgeons are performing a very wide 'extralevator APE (ELAPE)', there are few data to recommend it routinely. This multicentre study aimed to compare outcomes of APE and ELAPE., Methods: A multicentre propensity case-matched analysis comparing two surgical approaches (APE and ELAPE) was performed. All patients who underwent abdominoperineal resection of a rectal tumour were considered for the analysis. Tumour height was defined by magnetic resonance imaging measurement and patients with stage II-III tumours had neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy. Involvement of the circumferential resection margin (CRM) and intraoperative tumour perforation were the main outcome measures. A logistic regression model was used to study the relationship between the surgical approaches and outcomes., Results: From January 2008 to March 2013 a total of 1909 consecutive patients underwent APE or ELAPE, of whom 914 matched patients (457 in each group) formed the cohort for analysis. Intraoperative tumour perforation occurred in 7.9 and 7.7 per cent of patients during APE and ELAPE respectively (P = 0.902), and there was CRM involvement in 13.1 and 13.6 per cent (P = 0.846). There were no differences between APE and ELAPE in terms of postoperative complication rates (52.3 versus 48.1 per cent; P = 0.209), need for reoperation (7.7 versus 7.0 per cent; P = 0.703), perineal wound problems (26.0 versus 21.9 per cent; P = 0.141), mortality rate (2.0 versus 2.0 per cent; P = 1.000) and local recurrence rate at 2 years (2.7 versus 5.6 per cent; P = 0.664)., Conclusion: ELAPE does not improve rates of CRM involvement, intraoperative tumour perforation, local recurrence or mortality., (© 2014 BJS Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: An increasing number of patients are surviving a diagnosis of rectal cancer. The majority of the patients are treated with the sphincter-sparing surgical procedure low anterior resection, and 50% to 90% of these patients experience bowel dysfunction, known as the low anterior resection syndrome. No previous studies have investigated the association between the low anterior resection syndrome and quality of life in an international setting with the use of a validated instrument for the classification of the low anterior resection syndrome., Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between quality of life and the low anterior resection syndrome in European patients who have had rectal cancer., Design: The study was designed as an international cross-sectional study involving 5 centers in 4 European countries., Patients: All patients had undergone low anterior resection for rectal cancer, had no stoma, had no dissemination or recurrence at the time of the study, and were at least 16 months past surgery., Interventions: The patients received by mail the Low Anterior Resection Syndrome Score and the quality-of-life questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30., Main Outcome Measures: Eight subscales were selected to be the focus of this study: global quality of life; physical, role, emotional, and social functioning; fatigue; constipation; and diarrhea., Results: A total of 796 patients were included, which corresponds to a response rate of 75.0%. In comparison with patients without low anterior resection syndrome, patients with major low anterior resection syndrome fared substantially worse in all selected subscales (difference ≥ 10 points, p < 0.01), with the exception of constipation., Limitations: The cross-sectional design prevents an evaluation of causality., Conclusions: The quality of life of patients who have had rectal cancer is closely associated with the severity of the low anterior resection syndrome. Therefore, it is important that clinicians and researchers focus on this syndrome to improve the prevention and the treatment of bowel dysfunction and the information given to patients.

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate the convergent and discriminative validity and reliability of the low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score in an international setting., Background: The LARS score is a simple self-administered questionnaire measuring bowel dysfunction after rectal cancer surgery. The score is intended to be commonly used in international research and clinical practice in the future. Therefore, a thorough validation in an international setting is of utmost importance., Methods: The LARS score was translated using methods in keeping with current international recommendations. A total of 801 patients operated for rectal cancer in Sweden, Spain, Germany, and Denmark completed the LARS score questionnaire, including an anchor question assessing the impact of bowel function on quality of life. A subgroup of 218 patients completed the LARS score twice. Data were analyzed per country., Results: The LARS score has demonstrated a high convergent validity in terms of a high correlation between LARS score and quality of life (P < 0.001). Sensitivity ranged from 67.7% to 88.3% and specificity from 58.1% to 86.3%. The LARS score was able to discriminate between groups of patients differing with regard to radiotherapy, surgery, and age (P < 0.05). The score also demonstrated high reliability at test-retest with narrow limits of agreement and no statistically significant difference between scores at the first and second test., Conclusions: The Swedish, Spanish, German, and Danish versions of the LARS score have proven to be valid and reliable tools for measuring LARS in European rectal cancer patients.

Rectal ultralow, intersphincteric anterior resection (RIE) can be used in selected cases with the intention of improving the quality of life of patients avoiding permanent colostomy. RIE is indicated for tumors that are located from 1-2 cm above the anorectal ring to the top of the internal anal sphincter without involvement of the pelvic floor, puborrectalis muscle or external anal sphincter. RIE aims to get a free distal margin tumour not less than 1cm. Correct preoperative staging and anatomical tumour location and relation with adjacent structures and organs is fundamental. Intestinal transit reconstruction can be performed manually with a coloanal anastomosis according with Parks and with a lateral ileostomy or, alternatively, by a two-stage coloanal anastomosis technique as Turnbull-Cutait avoiding the stoma protection. Postoperative morbidity and mortality and the rate of local recurrence and overall disease-free survival at 5 years after RIE are comparable to those observed in standard ultra low anterior resection. Postoperative functional alterations of the RIE can affect the quality of life of patients regardless of reconstructive technique. Published studies do not provide sufficient data to establish the most efficient reconstruction method in terms of functional outcomes., (Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Cirujanos. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The Spanish Rectal Cancer Project was established in 2006, inspired by the Norwegian Rectal Cancer Project. It consisted of an educational project aiming to introduce mesorectal excision surgery to surgeons, pathologists and radiologists. Its effect on local recurrence (LR) was compared with the Norwegian Project., Method: An observational cohort study was carried out including all patients (4700) with rectal cancer from a population of 19 329 992 inhabitants operated on in 51 Spanish hospitals between March 2006 and June 2010. Curative resection was defined as a resection with an uninvolved circumferential margin in patients without distant metastases and without intra-operative rectal perforation. The effectiveness of the programme was measured by a central registry with feedback to participating institutions of their own results compared with the national average. The main outcome measures were LR and adverse effects in curative resections., Results: Of the 4700 patients, 3213 had a resection considered to be curative. LR rates were 4.7% (95% CI 0.03-0.59), metastasis rate was 16% (95% CI 0.14-0.17) and overall survival was 87.8% (95% CI 0.86-0.89). Multivariate analysis showed that advanced TNM stage and decreasing distance of the tumour from the anal verge had a negative influence on LR., Conclusion: This study shows that the results obtained in Norway have been reproduced in a larger population in Spain applying a similar methodology., (Colorectal Disease © 2013 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.)

Background: The colonic pouch is considered as an alternative to the standard straight low anastomosis after resection for rectal cancer. The aim of this prospective randomized trial was to compare short- and long-term functional results of colonic J-pouch (CJP) and transverse coloplasty (TCP) after low anterior resection for rectal cancer., Methods: Between 2000 and 2005, patients with mid or low rectal cancer scheduled for an elective sphincter-preserving resection were eligible. The primary end point was to compare bowel functional results 6 months and 3 years after ileostomy closure. Fecal incontinence score and a questionnaire that included items for clinical evaluation of bowel function were used., Results: One-hundred six patients were randomized; 54 patients were allocated to the CJP group and 52 in the TCP group. There were no differences between the 2 groups in terms of demographic and clinical data. Overall, postoperative complication rate was 19.8% without differences between the groups. Two patients (1.9%; one in each group) presented with anastomotic dehiscence. Long-term incomplete evacuation rates were 29.2% in the CPT group and 33.3% in the CJP group, without substantial differences. Overall, short- and long-term functional outcomes of both procedures were comparable. No differences were observed in terms of fecal incontinence or in all the items included in the questionnaire., Conclusion: TCP reconstruction after rectal cancer resection and coloanal anastomosis is functionally similar to CJP both in short- and long-term outcomes. The TCP technique does not seem to improve significantly the incomplete defecation symptom respect to CJP., Registration Number: NCT01396928; http://register.clinicaltrial.gov., (Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare laparoscopic versus open surgery for rectal cancer and analyse the results of the multidisciplinary audited project on total mesorectal excision conducted in Spain., Background: The safety and therapeutic efficiency of laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer are controversial due to the technical difficulties it involves. A deviation from the oncological principles of mesorectal excision would mean a potential increase in local recurrence and shorter survival., Methods: This prospective non-randomised multicentre study includes 4,970 patients with rectal cancer. The study compares perioperative, postoperative, anatomicopathological and survival variables., Results: Five hundred and sixty five patients were excluded. Of the remaining 4,405, 3,018 (68.51%) had open surgery (OS) and 1,387 (31.49%) laparoscopic surgery (LS). The rate of anterior resections was higher in the LS group. The rate of intraoperative tumour perforation, number of red blood cell concentrates transfused and length of hospital stay were greater in the OS group, whereas surgical time was longer in the LS group. The incidence of complications was 45.6% in the OS group and 38.3% in the LS group. Involvement of the circumferential and distal margin, as well as unsatisfactory and partially satisfactory quality of the mesorectum, were greater in the OS group. There were no differences for local recurrence and survival rates., Conclusions: According to these results, laparoscopic surgery is the best option for the surgical treatment of rectal cancer, with similar rates of local recurrence and survival, although there are oncological indicators in this study to suggest that these results can be improved with laparoscopic surgery.

Aim: Surgical site infection (SSI) is the most common cause of morbidity after colorectal surgery. The aim of this study was to analyze risk factors for SSI in patients who had undergone surgery for rectal cancer., Method: A multicentre observational study was carried out on 2131 patients operated on for rectal cancer between May 2006 and May 2009. Twenty-nine centres were involved. SSI included wound infection and organ space infection within 30 days after the operation. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to study possible risk factors for SSI., Results: Wound infection and organ space infection were diagnosed in 8.9% and 10%, respectively, of patients. The anastomotic leakage rate was 8%. Multivariate analysis showed that wound infection was related to tumour stage, a converted laparoscopic procedure and open surgery. Organ space infection was related to Stage IV tumour, a tumour < 11 cm from the anal verge, low anterior resection and Hartmann's procedure., Conclusion: Rectal surgery for malignant disease is associated with a considerable rate of SSI. Wound infection and organ space infection are related to different factors and therefore should be evaluated separately., (© 2011 The Authors. Colorectal Disease © 2011 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.)

Purpose: Colorectal cancer studies typically include both colon and rectum tumors as a common entity, though this assumption is controversial and only minor differences have been reported at the molecular and epidemiologic level. We conducted a molecular study based on gene expression data of tumors from colon and rectum to assess the degree of similarity between these cancer sites at transcriptomic level., Experimental Design: A pooled analysis of 460 colon tumors and 100 rectum tumors from four data sets belonging to three independent studies was conducted. Microsatellite instable tumors were excluded as these are known to have a different expression profile and have a preferential proximal colon location. Expression differences were assessed with linear models, and significant genes were identified using adjustment for multiple comparisons., Results: Minor differences at a gene expression level were found between tumors arising in the proximal colon, distal colon, or rectum. Only several HOX genes were found to be associated with tumor location. More differences were found between proximal and distal colon than between distal colon and rectum., Conclusions: Microsatellite stable colorectal cancers do not show major transcriptomic differences for tumors arising in the colon or rectum. The small but consistent differences observed are largely driven by the HOX genes. These results may have important implications in the design and interpretation of studies in colorectal cancer., (©2011 AACR.)

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of surgical site infection (SSI) after elective operations for colon and rectal cancer after the application of evidence-based preventive measures and to identify risk factors for SSI., Design: Prospective, observational, multicenter., Setting: Tertiary and community public hospitals in Catalonia, Spain., Patients: Consecutive patients undergoing elective surgical resections for colon and rectal cancer during a 9-month period., Main Outcome Measures: The prevalence of SSI within 30 days after the operations and risk factors for SSI., Results: Data from 611 patients were documented: 383 patients underwent operations for colon cancer and 228 underwent operations for rectal cancer. Surgical site infection was observed in 89 (23.2%) colon cancer patients (superficial, 12.8%; deep, 2.1%; and organ/space, 8.4%) and in 63 (27.6%) rectal cancer patients (superficial, 13.6%; deep, 5.7%; and organ/space, 8.3%). For colon procedures, the following independent predictive factors were identified: for incisional SSI, open procedure vs laparoscopy; for organ/space SSI, hyperglycemia at 48 hours postoperatively (serum glucose level, >200 mg/dL), ostomy, and National Nosocomial Infection System index of 1 or more. In rectal procedures, no risk factors were identified for incisional SSI; hyperglycemia at 48 hours postoperatively (serum glucose level, >200 mg/dL) and temperature lower than 36°C at the time of surgical incision were associated with organ/space SSI., Conclusion: The prevalence of SSI in elective colon and rectal operations remains high despite the application of evidence-based preventive measures.

Background: Locally advanced rectal cancer is usually treated with preoperative chemoradiation. After chemoradiation and surgery, 15-27% of the patients have no residual viable tumour at pathological examination, a pathological complete response (pCR). This study established whether patients with pCR have better long-term outcome than do those without pCR., Methods: In PubMed, Medline, and Embase we identified 27 articles, based on 17 different datasets, for long-term outcome of patients with and without pCR. 14 investigators agreed to provide individual patient data. All patients underwent chemoradiation and total mesorectal excision. Primary outcome was 5-year disease-free survival. Kaplan-Meier survival functions were computed and hazard ratios (HRs) calculated, with the Cox proportional hazards model. Subgroup analyses were done to test for effect modification by other predicting factors. Interstudy heterogeneity was assessed for disease-free survival and overall survival with forest plots and the Q test., Findings: 484 of 3105 included patients had a pCR. Median follow-up for all patients was 48 months (range 0-277). 5-year crude disease-free survival was 83.3% (95% CI 78.8-87.0) for patients with pCR (61/419 patients had disease recurrence) and 65.6% (63.6-68.0) for those without pCR (747/2263; HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.34-0.57; p<0.0001). The Q test and forest plots did not suggest significant interstudy variation. The adjusted HR for pCR for failure was 0.54 (95% CI 0.40-0.73), indicating that patients with pCR had a significantly increased probability of disease-free survival. The adjusted HR for disease-free survival for administration of adjuvant chemotherapy was 0.91 (95% CI 0.73-1.12). The effect of pCR on disease-free survival was not modified by other prognostic factors., Interpretation: Patients with pCR after chemoradiation have better long-term outcome than do those without pCR. pCR might be indicative of a prognostically favourable biological tumour profile with less propensity for local or distant recurrence and improved survival., Funding: None., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this prospective observational study was to compare the quality of total mesorectal excision between laparoscopic and open surgery for rectal cancer., Method: In April 2006, the Spanish Association of Surgeons started an audited teaching programme. The project was similar to the Norwegian one and several training courses were arranged. Patients were classified into two groups: laparoscopic rectal resection (LR) and open rectal resection (OR). The quality of the mesorectum was scored: complete, nearly complete or incomplete. The circumferential margin (CRM) was considered positive, if tumour was located 1 mm or less from the surface of the specimen., Results: Between 2006 and 2008, 604 patients underwent rectal resection with total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: 209 patients were included in the LR group and 395 patients in the OR group. There were no differences in terms of number of lymph nodes affected, distance of the tumour from CRM. The mesorectum was complete in 464 (76.8%), nearly complete in 91 (15.1%) and incomplete in 49 patients (8.1%). CRM was negative in 534 patients (88.4%). No differences were observed between the two groups. The overall postoperative morbidity rate was 38.8% in LR group and 44.6% in OR group (P = 0.170). Overall postoperative mortality rate was 2.5%. One patient died (0.5%) in the LR group and 14 patients died (3.5%) in the OR group (P = 0.021)., Conclusion: Laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer is feasible with the quality of mesorectal excision and postoperative outcomes similar to those of open surgery.

Introduction: Rectal cancer (RC) is one of the tumors showing the greatest discrepancies in outcomes, both in terms of local recurrence (LR) and survival. In Spain, the overall LR rates are unknown, but several European studies have demonstrated that the introduction of national training programs have decreased these rates and have increased survival. The aim of the present study was to present a descriptive analysis of the first results of a national teaching program in total mesorectal excision (TME)., Material and Method: The Spanish Association of Surgeons initiated the organization of the teaching process and its scientific committee was made responsible for selecting the group that started the project, based on multidisciplinary teams that met the established requirements. A database containing all the variables studied was designed., Results: Over the 1-year period, data on 346 patients with RC were gathered. Of these, the tumor was located in the upper third of the rectum in 109 patients, in the middle third in 150, and in the lower third in 87 patients. Endoanal ultrasonography was performed in 222 patients (64.1%) and magnetic resonance imaging in 237 (68.5%). A total of 313 patients were suitable for surgery; 69.3% underwent open surgery and 30.7% underwent laparoscopy. The conversion rate was 21.9%. Sphincter-preserving surgery was performed in 224 patients (71.5%). Morbidity was 37% and mortality was 3%. The quality of the mesorectum was satisfactory in 76% and unsatisfactory in 7%., Conclusions: Based on the results obtained during the first year, we believe that the implementation of a national teaching program on TME is feasible and, moreover, that it would improve surgical outcomes.