ENDOSCOPIC ND-YAG LASER TREATMENT OF RECTOSIGMOIDAL CANCER

Over a period of 7 years 126 patients with rectosigmoid carcinoma cons idered unsuitable for surgery underwent endoscopic Nd:YAG laser treatm ent for palliation of symptoms and tumor eradication, if feasible. Alt ogether 72 (59%) of the lesions had distal margins less than 7 cm from the anus and 32 (23%) above the peritoneal reflection. In 14 patients with tumor less than 3cm in diameter, symptomatic improvement was ach ieved in all. Is the remaining 112 patients with larger tumors (81 gre ater than 3/4 circumferential, mean length 5.5 cm) symptomatic improve ment was achieved with repeated treatments (average 3.7) in 58 (71%). All treatment failures occurred in patients with extensive tumors (17 initial, 12 Late). Rowel perforation did not occur and there was no tr eatment related mortality. The average stay in hospital for all laser patients was 9 days (32% of patients were outpatient attendance). Thes e results suggest that laser therapy may be the palliative treatment o f choice in patients with rectosigmoid carcinoma unsuitable for surger y.