Patient Reported Outcomes Following Cancer of the Rectum

Summary

The surgical management of rectal cancer includes a Total Mesorectal Excison (TME); depending on the height of the tumor, the problem of preservation of the anal sphincter arises, being able to perform a low anterior resection, an ultra-low anterior resection (RAUB) or an intersphincteric dissection. In some cases invading the sphincters or the puborectalis muscle, an abdominoperineal resection needs to be performed, being the gold standard in this particular situation so far.

TME can be performed by open, laparoscopic, robotic or transanal approaches, as long as the oncological principles for the resection are achieved. Unfortunately, up to 90% of these patients will present a change in bowel habit, ranging from an increased frequency of bowel movements to the degree of fecal incontinence or evacuation dysfunction. Of these patients, 25-50% will have a severe alteration in the quality of life. This wide spectrum of symptoms has been called "low anterior resection syndrome" (LARS). Other collateral damage is the change in sexual and urinary function, due to hypogastric plexus injury. There is a significant lack of multicenter prospective studies that provide evidence, and that reveal the functional results and quality of life of these techniques available to date for the management of rectal cancer.

The study is set up as a prospective multicentre observational study. Inclusion criteria are: 1) patients over 18 years old, 2) diagnosed with rectal cancer located below the peritoneal reflection, defined by preoperative MRI, 3) undergoing Open, laparoscopic, robotic or Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision (taTME) approaches, 4) with/without derivative stoma and 5) with/without neoadjuvant treatment. Exclusion criteria are: 1) Upper rectal cancer, located above the peritoneal reflection, 2) previous radical prostatectomy, 3) previous pelvic radiotherapy, 4) rectal resection without primary anastomosis, 5) intraoperative findings of peritoneal carcinomatosis, 6) stage IV disease, 7) multivisceral or en-bloc resection, which includes uterus, prostate, vagina or bladder, 8) rectal resection due to a benign condition, 9) rectal resection due to a recurrence of rectal cancer (previous anterior resection or another primary neoplasm), 10) rectal resection following a 'watch \& wait' program, 11) emergency surgery, 12) previous derivative colostomy 13) inflammatory bowel disease.

Conditions

• Sphincter Ani Incontinence
• Rectal Cancer

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Open Total Mesorectal Excision

Open approach for Total Mesorectal Excision

PROCEDURE

Laparoscopic Total Mesorectal Excision

Laparoscopic approach for Total Mesorectal Excision

PROCEDURE

Robotic Total Mesorectal Excision

Robotic approach for Total Mesorectal Excision

PROCEDURE

Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision

Transanal approach for Total Mesorectal Excision

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Navarrra Hospital (Clinica Universitaria)

  collaborator OTHER

• Hospital de Leon

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Hospital del Rio Hortega

  collaborator OTHER

• University Hospital Gregorio Marañón

  lead OTHER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

100 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-09-01

Primary Completion

2025-09-30

Completion

2028-09-30

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations