Influence of Tumor Location on Short- and Long-Term Outcomes After Laparoscopic Surgery for Rectal Cancer: A Propensity Score Matched Cohort Study

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes after laparoscopic resection for low rectal cancer (LRC) compared with mid/high rectal cancer (M/HRC). Methods: Patients with rectal cancer undergoing laparoscopic resection with curative intent were retrospectively reviewed between 2009 and 2015. After matched 1:1 by using propensity score analysis, perioperative and oncological outcomes were compared between LRC and M/HRC groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify independent factors of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Results: Of 373 patients who met the criteria for inclusion, 260 patients were matched for the analysis. Laparoscopic surgery for LRC required longer operative time (P＜0.001) and more blood loss volume (P＜0.001) compared with M/HRC, and the LRC group tended to have a higher incidence of postoperative complications (18.5% vs. 10.0%, P=0.051). There was no significant difference in local recurrence between the two groups (6.2% vs. 2.3%, P=0.216), whereas distant metastasis was more frequent in LRC patients compared with M/HRC (19.2% vs. 9.2%, P=0.021). The LRC group showed significantly inferior 5-year OS (78.1% vs. 88.8%, P=0.008) and DFS (76.2% vs. 89.0%, P=0.004) compared with the M/HRC group. Multivariate analysis indicated that tumor location was an independent predictor of OS (HR=2.095, 95% CI 1.142-3.843, P=0.017) and DFS (HR=2.320, 95% CI 1.251-4.303, P=0.008). Conclusion: Tumor location of the rectal cancer significantly affected the clinical and oncological outcomes after laparoscopic surgery, and it was an independent predictor of OS and DFS.