Braun R, et al. - Given the significant locoregional recurrence rates in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) despite multimodal treatment strategies, researchers analyzed patients with recurrent CRC for their clinical, pathological, perioperative, and survival data. Patients undergoing surgical resection of a locally recurrent CRC achieving R0-resection showed a substantial long-term survival rate.

Methods

• A prospective database from 1990 to 2011 was analyzed to assess the clinical, pathological, perioperative, and survival data of 203 patients with recurrent CRC.

Results

• This cohort of 203 patients had a median disease-free survival of 23 months after resection of the primary tumor, and 113 of these had surgical therapy, including resection of the recurrent tumor.
• The rectum was the primary tumor location in 63 (56%) patients and the colon in 50 (44%) patients.
• In 69 (61%) patients, researchers noted complete resection of the recurrent tumor (R0).
• Forty-two (37%) patients reported postoperative complications.
• Postoperative mortality of 2.7% was noted.
• Median overall survival of 91 months was reported for R0-resected patients without distant metastasis.
• Better overall survival was noted for these patients compared to patients in whom no complete resection of the recurrent tumor was possible (p < 0.001).
• In terms of overall survival, no statistically significant difference was noted between patients that had R0-resection with systemic metastasis and R1 (p=0.794) or R2 (p=0.422) resection.