Rectal Cancer Surgery Optimisation Standardisation Documentation [Paperback]

Rectal cancer is a major killer. Most of those dying after curative surgery suffer from recurrent disease in the pelvis. Local recurrence is also the only site of failure in up to 50% of patients. A disturbing fact is that the local recurrence rate shows considerably surgeon-related variances. There is now strong evidence that optimizing surgical technique by adopting the principle of total mesorectal excision (TME) will reduce local failure rate, increase the use of sphincter-saving operations, and improve functional results. Surgeons applying this surgical principle will consistently achieve similarly low recurrence rates.Rectal cancer is a major killer. Most of those dying after curative surgery suffer from recurrent disease in the pelvis. Local recurrence is also the only site of failure in up to 50% of patients. A disturbing fact is that the local recurrence rate shows considerably surgeon-related variances. There is now strong evidence that optimizing surgical technique by adopting the principle of total mesorectal excision (TME) will reduce local failure rate, increase the use of sphincter-saving operations, and improve functional results. Surgeons applying this surgical principle will consistently achieve similarly low recurrence rates.Rectal Cancer  Natural History of the Disease.- 1 Cancer of the Rectum: Epidemiology, Improvement in Survival and the Role of a National Cancer Registry.- 2 Results of Rectal Cancer Treatment: A National Experience.- 3 Failure After Curative Surgery Alone.- Tumour Staging.- 4 Staging Systems  A Review.- 5 Limitations of Existing Systems of Staging for Rectal Cancer: The Forgotten Margin.- 6 Preoperative Staging: A Critical Analysis.- 7 Potential of Molecular Biology in Preoperative Evaluation.- The Anatomical Basis for Rectal Cancer Surgery.- 8 Rectal and Pelvic Anatomy with Emphasis on Anatomical Layers.- 9 Regional Anatomy of the Male Pelvic Nerve Plexus: Composition, Divisions and Relationship to the Lymphatics.- 10 Anatols•