Sphincter Preservation with Preoperative Radiation Therapy and Coloanal Anastomosis

Purpose: To determine if preoperative radiation therapy allows sphincter preservation in the treatment of rectal cancer.

Methods And Materials: Thirty patients with the diagnosis of invasive, resectable, primary adenocarcinoma of the rectum limited to the pelvis were enrolled on a Phase I/II trial of preoperative radiation therapy plus low anterior resection/coloanal anastomosis. By preoperative assessment, all patients had invasive tumors (2: T2 28:T3) involving the distal half of the rectum and required an abdominoperineal resection. The median tumor size was 4 cm (range: 1.5-6 cm) and the median distance from the anal verge was 4 cm (range: 3-7 cm). The whole pelvis received 46.8 Gy followed by a 3.60 Gy boost to the primary tumor bed. The median follow-up was 43 months (range: 6-82 months).

Results: Of the 29 patients who underwent resection, 3 (10%) had a complete pathologic response and 24 (83%) were able to successfully undergo a low anterior resection/colonanal anastomosis. The incidence of local failure was crude: 17% and 4-year actuarial: 23%. The 4-year actuarial survival was 75%. One patient developed a partial disruption of the anastomosis and two developed rectal stenosis. Analysis of sphincter function using a previously published scale was performed at the time of last follow-up in 22 of the 24 patients who underwent a low anterior resection/coloanal anastomosis. Function was good or excellent in 77%. The median number of bowel movements/day was two (range: 1-6).

Conclusions: This technique may be an alternative to an abdominoperineal resection in selected patients. Continued follow-up is needed to determine if this approach ultimately has similar local control and survival rates as an abdominoperineal resection.