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Role of the Interval from Completion of Neoadjuvant Therapy to Surgery in Postoperative Morbidity in Patients with Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Increasing the interval from completion of neoadjuvant therapy to surgery beyond 8 weeks is associated with increased response of rectal cancer to neoadjuvant therapy. However, reports are conflicting on whether extending the time to surgery is associated with increased perioperative morbidity.

Methods

Patients who presented with a tumor within 15 cm of the anal verge in 2009–2015 were grouped according to the interval between completion of neoadjuvant therapy and surgery: < 8 weeks, 8–12 weeks, and 12–16 weeks.

Results

Among 607 patients, the surgery was performed at < 8 weeks in 317 patients, 8–12 weeks in 229 patients, and 12–16 weeks in 61 patients. Patients who underwent surgery at 8–12 weeks and patients who underwent surgery at < 8 weeks had comparable rates of complications (37% and 44%, respectively). Univariable analysis identified male sex, earlier date of diagnosis, tumor location within 5 cm of the anal verge, open operative approach, abdominoperineal resection, and use of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy alone to be associated with higher rates of complications. In multivariable analysis, male sex, tumor location within 5 cm of the anal verge, open operative approach, and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy administered alone were independently associated with the presence of a complication. The interval between neoadjuvant therapy and surgery was not an independent predictor of postoperative complications.

Conclusions

Delaying surgery beyond 8 weeks from completion of neoadjuvant therapy does not appear to increase surgical morbidity in rectal cancer patients.

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Acknowledgment

This research was supported in part by the NCI Grant P30 CA008748. The authors gratefully acknowledge Arthur Gelmis for editing the manuscript.

Funding

NCI P30 CA008748.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Colorectal Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Campbell S. D. Roxburgh MD, PhD, Paul Strombom MD, Patricio Lynn MD, Philip B. Paty MD, Jose G. Guillem MD, Garrett M. Nash MD, J. Joshua Smith MD, PhD, Iris Wei MD, Emmanouil Pappou MD, Julio Garcia-Aguilar MD, PhD & Martin R. Weiser MD

  2. Institute of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Campbell S. D. Roxburgh MD, PhD

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Mithat Gonen PhD

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  1. Campbell S. D. Roxburgh MD, PhD
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  2. Paul Strombom MD
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  11. Julio Garcia-Aguilar MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Martin R. Weiser MD.

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Roxburgh, C.S.D., Strombom, P., Lynn, P. et al. Role of the Interval from Completion of Neoadjuvant Therapy to Surgery in Postoperative Morbidity in Patients with Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 26, 2019–2027 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-019-07340-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-019-07340-9

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