Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1996 Aug;83(8):1112-5.
doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800830826.

Pathological evidence in support of total mesorectal excision in the management of rectal cancer

J V Reynolds  1 , W P Joyce, J Dolan, K Sheahan, J M Hyland
Affiliations

Pathological evidence in support of total mesorectal excision in the management of rectal cancer

J V Reynolds et al. Br J Surg. 1996 Aug.

Abstract

Some 50 total mesorectal excision specimens were examined following rectal excision for cancer. Circumferential margin involvement was rare, but mesorectal tumour deposits were present in 17 of 44 patients with pT3 tumours, and 23 of 44 had mesorectal nodal involvement. No patient with a pT2 tumour had mesorectal involvement. Failure to excise the mesorectum completely has the potential to leave gross or microscopic residual disease that may in theory predispose to local failure. Total mesorectal excision is necessary to avoid incomplete pathological evaluation of the mesorectum and understaging of rectal cancer.

PubMed Disclaimer