The Modern Treatment of Rectal Cancer
Rectal cancer is a common malignant disease. Its incidence has been rapidly increasing during the last decades. With improved preoperative diagnostic procedures and histopathological evaluation, rectal cancers can be divided into several groups according to various treatment options. Well differentiated (G1/G2) small cancers without lymph node involvement (T1, N0) can be cured with local full wall excision. G3/G4 tumors require transabdominal resection. In advanced cancers (T3/T4 or N+ or M1) the patient should also receive preoperative or postoperative chemoradiotherapy. High quality resection is based on the principles of modern surgical treatment of rectal cancer, such as total mesorectal excision (TME), »en bloc« resection, radicular dissection of inferior mesenteric vessels and an adequate safety margin around the tumor. This therapeutic approach has led to a reduction in local recurrence rate and better long-term survival.