Abstract:

Objective   To evaluate the impact of the surgery interval after short course preoperative radiotherapy of rectal cancer on the perineal wound healing. Methods   128 patients with local advanced lower rectal cancer treated in Shandong Tumor Hospital from December 2008 to December 2011 were selected and divided into three groups according to the wishes of the patients： patients(n=30) who underwent surgery (the first group)；  patients (n=55) who underwent surgery within 1 week of the short course preoperative radiotherapy (25Gy, 5Gy×5 fracions ) (the second group)； patients (n=43) who underwent surgery after 4 weeks of the short course preoperative radiotherapy(25Gy, 5Gy×5 fracions) (the third group). Results   The wound healing after APR was good in 46, moderate in 52,and poor in 30 patients. The incidence of poor wound healing of the first group and the third group were 6% and 14% respectively, and there was no significant  difference (P=0.549). The incidence of poor wound healing of the second group and the third group were 40% and 14% respectively, and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.01). Conclusion   The prolongation of the time interval between short course preoperative and surgery can decrease the incidence rate of perineal wound delay healing for lower rectal cancer.

Key words: Rectal neoplasms; Abdominoperineal resection; Short course preoperative radiotherapy; Wound healing