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Review
. 2015;11(1):37-43.
doi: 10.1007/s11888-014-0217-6.

What Are the Best Questionnaires To Capture Anorectal Function After Surgery in Rectal Cancer?

Tina Yen-Ting Chen  1 , Katrine J Emmertsen  1 , Søren Laurberg  1
Affiliations
Review

What Are the Best Questionnaires To Capture Anorectal Function After Surgery in Rectal Cancer?

Tina Yen-Ting Chen et al. Curr Colorectal Cancer Rep. 2015.

Abstract

With enhanced surgical techniques and neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancer, survivorship issues are at the forefront of clinical practice and research. More and more patients are living with altered bowel habits following rectal cancer surgery. Sound assessment of anorectal function after rectal cancer surgery is the foundation for the continuing effort to explore the adverse effects of such surgery on bowel function, as well as for working towards reducing these effects. The quality of the assessment is predominantly determined by the instrument administered. This article reviews various questionnaires for capturing anorectal function after surgery in rectal cancer, discussing their attributes and suitability for different evaluation contexts.

Keywords: Anorectal dysfunction; Anorectal function; Anterior resection syndrome; Assessment; Bowel dysfunction; Evaluation; Functional outcome; Instrument; Low anterior resection; Low anterior resection syndrome; Measurement; Questionnaire; Rectal cancer; Rectal cancer surgery; Scoring system; Sphincter-preserving surgery; Tool.

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Conflict of interest statement

Katrine J. Emmertsen and Søren Laurberg are the original authors of the LARS score.

Tina Yen-Ting Chen has received financial support through a grant from the Boel Foundation.

Katrine J. Emmertsen has received financial support through a grant from the Danish Cancer Society.

Søren Laurberg has received financial support through a grant from the Boel Foundation.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The Low Anterior Resection Syndrome Score (LARS score). (From Emmertsen and Laurberg [••] with permission from Wolters Kluwer Health)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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