LASER THERAPY OF VILLOUS RECTO-COLONIC TU MORS - MULTIVARIATE-ANALYSIS OF RESULTS

One hundred and twenty-four patients (mean age: 70 years) with a villo us tumour of the rectum (n = 98) or the colon (n = 26) were treated by laser therapy from 1985 to 1991. Initial complete eradication was obt ained in 93.5 % of cases with a median time of 16 months. Using multiv ariate analysis, the tumour size (> 4 cm) only was predictive of eradi cation (P < 0.001). At 6 and 12 months, the actuarial eradication rate s were 91 and 98 % for small tumours versus 45 and 74 % for larger tum ours respectively. The actuarial recurrence rates were 10.5, 23, and 3 7 % at 6, 12 and 24 months, and no longer increased after 3 years. No predictive factor of recurrence was isolated by multivariate analysis. Seven complications (5.6 %) and 4 malignant transformations (3.4 %) o ccurred. This study confirms the efficiency and low morbidity of laser therapy, especially in patients with small tumors, less than 4 cm in size.