No abstract

Recurrence of CD is unaffected by the width of the margin of resection from macroscopically involved bowel. Recurrence rates also do not increase when microscopic CD is present at the resection margins. Therefore, extensive resection margins are unnecessary.

Sixteen female patients (mean age 54.1 years; range 34-74 years) with a 9.8-year (range 1-25 years) history of incontinence to solid stool underwent overlapping sphincteroplasty with internal sphincter imbrication without fecal diversion. All patients were prospectively evaluated with preoperative anorectal manometry, electromyography, and pudendal nerve motor latency assessment, postoperative anorectal manometry, and preoperative and postoperative functional evaluation. Mean and maximal resting pressures increased from 30 mm Hg and 49 mm Hg preoperatively to 40 mm Hg and 57 mm Hg, respectively, postoperatively. Likewise, mean and maximal squeeze pressures increased from 27 mm Hg and 48 mm Hg preoperatively to 39 mm Hg and 73 mm Hg, respectively, postoperatively (P less than 0.01). Furthermore, anal canal high pressure zone length was increased by sphincteroplasty from a mean of 0.9 cm (range 0-3 cm) to a mean of 2.1 cm (range 1-4 cm). These objective physiologic improvements correlated well with subjective functional improvement. Subjectively, functional outcome was rated by patients as excellent in 38 percent, good in 38 percent, fair in 19 percent, and poor in only 5 percent of cases. Overlapping sphincteroplasty with internal sphincter imbrication improves both the anal sphincter physiologic profile and fecal continence.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether delays in commencing adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical resection of colon adenocarcinoma adversely impact survival. METHODS: Patients with stage II-III colon adenocarcinoma who received adjuvant chemotherapy at 2 centers were identified through the institutional tumor registry. Time to adjuvant chemotherapy, overall survival (OS), and relapse-free survival (RFS) were calculated from the day of surgery. Patients were dichotomized into early (time to adjuvant chemotherapy 60 days) and late treatment (time to adjuvant chemotherapy >60 days) groups. OS and RFS were compared using log-rank test and multivariate analysis by the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Of 186 patients included in the study, 49 (26%) had received adjuvant chemotherapy >60 days after surgical resection. Thirty percent of the delays were system related (eg, late referrals, insurance authorizations). Time to adjuvant chemotherapy >60 days was associated with significantly worse OS in both univariate analysis and a Cox proportional hazards model (hazard ratio, 2.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-4.36). Although difference in RFS between the 2 groups favored time to adjuvant chemotherapy <60, this did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant chemotherapy delay >60 days after surgical resection of colon cancer is associated with worse OS.