The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a spacer inserted in the prerectal space could reduce modeled rectal dose and toxicity rates for patients with prostate cancer treated in silico with pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy. A total of 20 patients were included in this study who received photon therapy (12 with rectal spacer (DuraSeal™ gel) and 8 without). Two PBS treatment pl...

BACKGROUND Stage IIIA rectal cancer has distinctive oncological features, including limited depth of intestinal wall invasion and early regional lymph node metastasis. We aim to compare survival outcomes and clinicopathological features for stage IIIA rectal cancer with those for stage II rectal cancer. METHODS We analyzed patients with stage II or stage IIIA rectal cancer treated with surger...

The rectal expansion and concomitant sensory function on graded, isobaric, rectal distension within the interval 5-60 cm H2O was investigated in 36 healthy young volunteers. Anal pressure and electromyography (EMG) from the external anal sphincter were simultaneously recorded. Rectal distension caused an initial rapid expansion followed by transient, often repeated, reflex rectal contractions a...

Rectal bleeding following any form of rectal surgery is a well recognised complication 1, 2, 3 & 4. However retro-rectal bleeding and tracking which then presents as rectal bleeding has not been reported in the literature. We describe a novel way of dealing with this technically difficult post-operative complication.We present two cases of significant rectal bleeding (one following STARR proced...

PURPOSE To determine whether large rectal volume on planning computed tomography (CT) results in lower tumor regression grade (TRG) after neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in rectal cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS We reviewed medical records of 113 patients treated with surgery following neoadjuvant CCRT for rectal cancer between January and December 2012. Rectal volume w...

Tumor detection prior to invasion through the muscularis propria and before lymph node metastases appear offers the best prognosis and permits more limited surgery.2 Anterior or abdominoperineal resection is the standard treatment for rectal tumors, although a greater proportion of resections are now sphincter-saving or involve local excision.3,4 Despite surgical advances, local recurrence rate...

The mechanisms of increased rectal stiffness in women with fecal incontinence (FI) and rectal urgency are not understood. Our hypothesis was that distention-induced activation of mechanosensitive L-type calcium channels in smooth muscle contributes to increased rectal stiffness in FI. Anal pressures, rectal distensibility (compliance, capacity, and contractile response to sinusoidal oscillation...

Aim: To investigate the rectal and anal sphincter factors that might contribute to the development of fecal incontinence (FI) after anal fissure and rectal prolapse surgery. Methods: Fourteen patients with FI after sphincterotomy (n = 8) and rectal prolapse surgery (n = 6) were studied [clinical assessment, rectosigmoidoscopy, anorectal manometry, including rectoanal inhibitory reflex (RAIR) me...

Introduction: Radiation therapy is one of the main treatments for rectal cancer. In three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, exposure of healthy tissue around the tumor is unavoidable. The small intestine is the most important organ at risk of rectal cancer radiotherapy. Intestinal complications are a major factor limiting the dose radiotherapy for rectal cancer. The most com...