Outcomes in open rectal cancer surgery; five-year local recurrence and survival rates in a District General Hospital setting, a retrospective cohort study

Introduction: Following treatment for rectal cancer, outcomes in the UK include a 5-year survival rate of around 60%, and a variable 5-year local recurrence rate. Surgical treatment involves Total Mesorectal Excision (TME), with laparoscopic and, more recently, robotic approaches gaining popularity over the open technique. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes of rectal cancer patients managed in a single District General Hospital to the documented UK averages for 5-year survival and 5-year local recurrence. Methods: A total of 64 consecutive patients undergoing open TME performed by a single surgeon at a single site between 2009 and 2015 were analysed retrospectively. Histopathological, radiological, and demographic data collected during 5 years of follow up were used to help establish a 5-year survival rate and a 5-year local recurrence rate. Results: For the 64 patients analysed, the 5-year survival rate was 74.6% and the 5-year local recurrence rate was 7.9%. Conclusion: In our cohort of patients undergoing open TME, the 5-year survival rate was higher than the documented UK average and the 5-year local recurrence rate lay within the published range. In addition, greater patient age and a shorter distance of the tumour from the anal verge were shown to have a significant correlation with increased mortality.