NERVE-SPARING SURGERY IN 302 RESECTABLE RECTOSIGMOID CANCER-PATIENTS - GENITOURINARY MORBIDITY AND 10-YEAR SURVIVAL

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate 5-year and 10-year dise ase-free survival, urinary dysfunction, and sexual activity after nerv e-sparing radical surgery, including lumboaortic lymphadenectomy for r ectosigmoid cancer. METHODS: Since 1980 to 1992, 302 consecutive patie nts affected with rectal (188) or sigmoid (114) resectable cancer unde rwent radical surgery. Lumboaortic lymphadenectomy was routinely perfo rmed and total mesorectal dissection was always accomplished in rectal cancer. Splanchnic nerves, superior hypogastric plexus, hypogastric n erves, and sacral parasympathetic nerves were sought, identified, and preserved or, when necessary, unilaterally sacrificed. Fifty-three (17 .6 percent) patients were classified Dukes A, 145 (48.0 percent) B, 46 (15.2 percent) C1, and 17 (5.6 percent) C2. Thirty-nine (12.9 percent ) patients were Dukes D. In 85 rectal cancer patients, tumor was locat ed at the lower third. Eighty-six of 210 Dukes B and C patients were s ubmitted to systemic chemotherapy and/or high-dose pelvic radiotherapy . RESULTS: The actuarial 5-year disease-free survival was 58.5 percent in rectal and 65.7 percent in sigmoid cancer patients, median follow- up time was 47 months. During the follow-up, each patient was intervie wed about sexual activity and urinary dysfunction and a questionnaire was filled out. Urinary dysfunction was not frequently observed, while a definitive sexual impotence was reported in 27.6 percent of the pat ients. The age under 60 years and sphincter-saving surgery were demons trated as significantly contributing to retaining a satisfactory sexua l activity. CONCLUSIONS: Unexpectedly high disease-free survival was o bserved in the Dukes C2 subgroup. It allows us to hypothesize that lum boaortic lymphadenectomy could remove neoplastic microfoci present at this level in those patients, enhancing surgical chances of cure. The majority of male patients under 60 years old can retain a satisfactory sexual activity after undergoing a nerve-sparing sphincter-saving can cer surgery.