Rectal Cancer

  • Andrea MacNeill
  • Shady Ashamalla
  • Marcus J. Burnstein
  • Peter K. Stotland
Chapter
First Online:

Abstract

Rectal cancer is a common cause of cancer death among both men and women. The mainstay of treatment is surgical resection, but in contrast to colon cancer, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy plays an important role in rectal cancer management. Recent developments in the field of rectal cancer include validation of the safety of laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery, novel endoluminal techniques which have expanded the role of transanal rectal surgery, and controversy surrounding the management of a complete clinical response to neoadjuvant therapy. As in colon cancer, there is a role for metastasectomy in some stage IV rectal cancer, with the possibility of long-term survival.

Keywords

Rectal cancer Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy Laparoscopy Transanal endoscopic surgery Extra-levator abdominoperineal resection Metastasectomy 
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Copyright information

© University of Toronto General Surgery Oncology Program 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  • Andrea MacNeill
    • 1
  • Shady Ashamalla
    • 2
  • Marcus J. Burnstein
    • 2
  • Peter K. Stotland
    • 2
  1. 1.General Surgical OncologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
  2. 2.Department of SurgeryUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada

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