THE PREDICTION OF THE PROGNOSIS FOR RECTAL-CARCINOMA DOWN-STAGED BY PREOPERATIVE RADIOTHERAPY BY TRANSRECTAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY

Background, We attempted to determine whether the results of transrect al ultrasonography (TRUS) could provide any prognostic information abo ut patients with rectal carcinoma treated with pre-operative radiother apy (RT), Methods. Ninety-eight patients with rectal carcinoma were tr eated with pre-operative RT and radical surgery. We categorized the TR US results with respect to TNM classification before the RT (Pre-RT st aging), those after the RT (Post-RT staging), and the results of the p athological examination (Post-OP staging), We analysed the association s among these three stagings, and the survival time of the patients, R esults, The prevalence of under T2-stage (TNM classification) in the p re-PT staging was significantly lower than that in both the Post-RT an d Post-OF staging. The number of tumours diagnosed as T4 stage in both the Post-RT and Post-OF staging was significantly lower than that bef ore irradiation. The survival periods of the patients with tumours rem aining as T4 after radiation were significantly shorter than those of the patients diagnosed as having T4 tumours at the Pre-RT staging (Pre -RT versus Post-RT, p = 0.019; PreRT versus Post-OF, p = 0.030), These results suggested that radio-insensitive residual cells might associa te with the poor prognosis. Conclusion, We could predict the possible prognosis in rectal carcinoma patients treated with pre-operative radi otherapy before operation by TRUS.