Short-term clinical outcomes of robotic-assisted total mesorectal excision in rectal cancer after concurrent chemoradiotherapy

Abstract

Abstract Background To evaluate the short-term oncological outcomes of robotic-assisted total mesorectal excision (TME) in patients with rectal cancer after neoadjuvant CCRT (concurrent chemoradiotherapy). Methods We enrolled 120 patients with stages I-IV rectal cancer who underwent robotic-assisted total mesorectal excision (TME) after neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy at a single institution between July 2013 and November 2017. Results Of the 120 patients enrolled, all of them underwent preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Furthermore, among these 120 patients, 34 (28.3%) achieved a pathologic complete response and 19 people had local or distant recurrences. In a median follow up of 24 months, the 2-year disease-free survival(DFS) and overall survival(OS) were and 84% and 86%. Conclusions The results demonstrate that robotic-assisted TME for patients with rectal cancer after neoadjuvant CCRT (concurrent chemoradiotherapy) is effective and for patient with tumor invaded to bladder, prostate or uterus, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a safe and effective way for organ-preserving instead of salvage surgery. Legal entity responsible for the study The authors. Funding Has not received any funding. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.