Preoperative imaging for staging of rectal cancer has become an important aspect of current approach to rectal cancer management, because it helps to select suitable patients for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and determine the appropriate surgical technique. Imaging modalities such as endoscopic ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) play an important role in...

1. Kim NK, Min BS, Kim JS, Hur H, Lee KY, Sohn SK, et al. Oncologic outcomes and safety after tumor-specific mesorectal excision for resectable rectal cancer: a single institution’s experience with 1,276 patients with rectal cancer. J Korean Soc Coloproctol 2008;24:121-33. 2. Min HS, Kim JY. Health-related quality of life of patients with rectal cancer. J Korean Soc Coloproctol 2009;25:100-6. 3...

Introduction: The close proximity of the rectum tissue to the prostate gland results in rectal toxicity during prostate radiotherapy. Rectal Retractor (RR) is a rectal displacement technique that inserts into the rectum, as a result, the lateral and dorsal part of the rectal wall push away from high dose areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the dosimetric consequence...

BACKGROUND Our objective was to examine the knowledge and treatment decision practice patterns of Canadian surgeons who treat patients with rectal cancer. METHODS A mail survey with 6 questions on staging investigations, management of low rectal cancer, lymph node harvest, surgical margins and use of adjuvant therapies was sent to all general surgeons in Canada. Appropriate responses to surve...

Rectal cancer is a worldwide disease whose incidence has increased significantly. Evidence-based medicine is a category of medicine that optimizes decision making by using evidence from well-designed and conducted research. Evidence-based medicine can be used to formulate a reasonable treatment plan for newly diagnosed rectal cancer patients. The current review focuses on the application of evi...

BACKGROUND Previous epidemiologic studies of fruit and vegetable intake and bladder cancer risk have yielded inconsistent results, especially with regard to the types of fruits and vegetables consumed. We examined total fruit and vegetable intake, as well as intakes of subtypes of fruits and vegetables, in relation to bladder cancer risk in a large male prospective cohort study. METHODS Two h...

Because fruits and vegetables are rich in bioactive compounds with potential cancer-preventive actions, increased consumption may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. Evidence on the association between fruit and vegetable intake and ovarian cancer risk has not been consistent. We analyzed and pooled the primary data from 12 prospective studies in North America and Europe. Fruit and vegetable int...

There has been a high local recurrence rate in rectal cancer. Besides improvements in surgical techniques, both neoadjuvant short-course radiotherapy and long-course chemoradiation improve oncological results. Approximately 40-60% of rectal cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation achieve some degree of pathologic response. However, there is no effective method of predicting whic...

BACKGROUND Umbilical metastasis, also called Sister Mary Joseph's nodule (SMJN), is defined as the umbilical nodule associated with advanced metastatic intra-abdominal and pelvic malignancies. A patient with umbilical metastasis has been deemed to have a poor prognosis. Rectal cancer presenting with a SMJN is a rare phenomenon, especially in the early stage and in middle-low rectal cancer. CA...

The definition of overtreatment of rectal cancer is controversial, and thus it is difficult to accurately quantitate its prevalence. All components of rectal cancer treatment are associated with significant potential for morbidity and dysfunction that may have a negative impact on the patient's quality of life. No one would disagree with the tenet that overtreatment should be avoided whenever p...