Abstract
A total of 93 patients (69 men, 24 women ; mean age, 61 years) with lower rectal cancer underwent intersphincteric resection (ISR). Their degree of progression, by stage, was 0/I/II/III/IV = 3/33/18/29/10 cases. Stoma closure was completed in 87 cases (94%). Following ISR, the recurrence-free survival rate was 73%, with a recurrence rate of 18% (local recurrence rate, 7.2%) and a Stage IIIb recurrence rate of 50%. Twelve cases underwent preoperative chemoradiotherapy ; in a determination of the histological effects, two cases were grade 1a, four cases were grade 1b, six cases were grade 2, and there was no case where it was ineffective. Eight of nine cases, excluding Stage IV, had recurrence-free survival. The mean Wexner score after stoma closure was 11.6 until one month after closure, falling to 8.6 three months later, and reaching 4.6 at six months ; no difference in score based on sex or on whether there was preoperative irradiation was found. By the time six months had passed, nearly all cases responded that “daily life is not limited”.
