Assessment of Circumferential Resection Margins (CRM) clearance in Conventional open Versus Laparoscopic Cancer Rectum Resection

Abstract Background Colon and rectal cancer represent the fourth commonest malignancy worldwide. Globally, colon and rectal cancer make up 9.4% and 10.1% in men and women of all cancers, respectively. Colon and rectal tumors are the third most common malignancy after breast and lung cancer, respectively. The main management of rectal cancer involves a multi-disciplinary team approach and an individually tailored treatment routine. Operative surgery remains the primary and definitive treatment for locally confined rectal adenocarcinoma and is the only historical and current treatment which allows for cure. Resection of the colon and rectal cancer can be done either by open surgical excision or laparoscopically. Aim of the work The objective is to compare the radicality of total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer in both open and laparoscopic surgery through the pathology report. Methods In this multicentric, prospective, comparative study, we included the pathologically established rectal cancer patients from 2 hospitals in Cairo, Egypt, Ain Shams University Hospitals and Maadi Military Hospital, Egypt between 2013 and 2016. The sample size was 40 patients divided into two groups; 20 patients for laparoscopic arm and 20 patients for the open trans-abdominal surgery. Inclusion criteria: histopathology confirmed rectal cancer, patients fit for operative resection, and with T1- T3 grades according to the preoperative evaluation. The exclusion criteria: Patients with T4 stage tumor, patients present as emergency cases and patients present with recurrence of the tumor and synchronous colonic tumors. Results The circumferential resection margins (CRM) of the mesorectum when examined pathologically after resection showed no difference between the two arms of the study with laparoscopic group specimens 3.18±1.16 mm mean, (SD) compared to 3.50±0.45 mm mean, (SD) in the open surgery group with no statistically significant difference. The longitudinal resection margins (LRM) was (5.50±1.98 mean, SD) in the laparoscopic group compared to (5.20±2.28 mean, SD) in the open conventional surgery group with no significant difference found between the two groups. Total operative time was significantly shorter in the trans-abdominal surgery group, while the hospital stay period was significantly shorter in the laparoscopy group. Laparoscopy group also showed significantly time before flatus passage, and the patients in the laparoscopy group started oral intake faster than open surgery group. Conclusion In our study, the radicality of the rectal cancer excision in both laparoscopic and traditional open surgery, showed non inferiority of the laparoscopic technique over open surgery Long-term clinical outcomes of overall survival and recurrence is the foremost parameters which should be taken in consideration for decision for laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer. Additional follow-up results from the current trial are presently being developed, beside with records on other secondary end points, like cost effectiveness and quality of life.