Hypothesis: Selected clinicopathologic characteristics of locally treated rectal cancers are predictive of recurrence.
Design: Case series review with median follow-up of 6 years.
Setting: University medical center.
Patients: Fifty-eight patients with rectal cancer who underwent local excisions from February 1, 1982, to December 31, 1998.
Main outcome measures: Local and distant recurrence rates and overall survival.
Results: Overall local recurrence rate was 14% (8 patients). There were no local recurrences among patients treated with chemotherapy or radiation. Of patients not treated, local recurrence rates were 33%, 5%, 45%, and 25% for T0, T1, T2, and T3 tumors, respectively. No clinicopathologic factor predicted local recurrence. Two patients developed distant recurrence. Overall survival was 98%, 93%, and 84% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively.
Conclusion: In selected patients, outcomes for local excision combined with additional therapy may be equivalent to those for radical resection.