RESULTS FROM PELVIC EXENTERATION FOR LOCALLY ADVANCED COLORECTAL-CANCER WITH LYMPH-NODE METASTASES

PURPOSE: We examined the survival benefit of pelvic exenteration for l ocally advanced colorectal cancer with lymph node metastases, because this issue remains controversial METHODS: Medical records of 50 patien ts who underwent curative pelvic exenteration for colorectal cancer we re reviewed retrospectively. Nodal metastases were examined by the cle aring method in 29 patients and by the conventional manual method in 2 1 patients. RESULTS: Invasion to contiguous pelvic organs was present in 40 patients (80 percent) and absent in 10 patients (20 percent). No de metastases were present in 33 patients (66 percent). Operative morb idity and mortality rates were 22 percent (11 patients) and 6 percent (3 patients), respectively. Respective five-year survival rates were 6 0 and 80 percent in the groups with and without organ invasion (no sig nificant difference). Five-year survival rates in patients with nodal metastases was 54.6 percent but was significantly higher, 82.4 percent , in patients without nodal metastases. Five-year survival in 28 patie nts with both organ invasion and nodal metastases was 53.6 percent. CO NCLUSIONS: Long-term survival was afforded by pelvic exenteration for locally advanced colorectal cancer with nodal metastases.