Background: Patients undergoing a curative rectal cancer resection have a risk of developing locoregional recurrence. A curative resection for local recurrence is the option of improvement in prognosis. However, a curative resection is sometimes too invasive and should be considered in selected patients.
Methods: A total of 43 patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer who had been treated by operation between 1989 and 2007 were retrospectively reviewed and the factors, including doubling time of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA-dt), were analyzed.
Results: The 5-year overall survival rate after the operation for local recurrence was 50.8%. Gender, presence of distant metastasis, tumor size, CEA-dt and curability were found to be significant prognostic factors. A multivariate analysis demonstrated the presence of distant metastasis, CEA-dt and tumor size to be significant prognostic factors for overall survival. The 5-year overall survival rates of patients with a CEA-dt > or =150 days and a tumor size <5 cm were 76.9%.
Conclusions: The tumor size and CEA-dt were useful prognostic factors that were recognizable before surgery. Patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer with a CEA-dt > or =150 days and a recurrent tumor size <5 cm are considered to be good candidates for surgery.
Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.