Splenic flexure cancer optimum level of vessel ligation

Abstract

Background: Incidence of splenic flexure carcinoma is very low in colorectal cancer but often time presented in an advanced stage with high risk of obstruction, contributing poor prognosis. Aim of the study was to investigate the adequacy of vessel ligation in SFC in term of overall survival.Methods: 35 patients diagnosed with splenic flexure carcinoma enrolled and analyzed, patients categorized based on the level of vessel ligation as group-A, left branch of middle colic (LMA) and left colic artery division (LCA) compared, group-B, LCA and marginal of middle colic artery (MMC).Results: CEA marker was not significantly changed post-operatively, as it was within normal range preoperatively at an average of 9-12 µg/ml. There is no significance in staging of tumors in all stages, and recurrence of tumor is present in 5 in group A. Radical margins both proximal and distal ends are not significant. Tumor clearance achieved successfully in both arms in term of proximal margin achieved at 7.9±3.5cm in groups B and 8.3±4.1 cm in group A, p = 0.312. Distal margin reported at 8.7±4.1 cm and 8.9±3.98cm, p = 0.58, respectively. Lymph nodes are positive in group-A and group-B without any significance. Tumor size or diameter ranging from 5.1±3.1 in group-A and 4.76±3.8 in group-B. According to the cell differentiation, majority of the tumor grade turned out to be moderately differentiated cancer, rated at 14 patients (40.1%) in group A and 13 patients (37.1%) in group B. one patients found to be well or poorly differentiated cell tumors in group-A. Overall p-values were insignificant in regards tumor cell differentiation in both groups, p = 0.213. Incidence of lympho-vascular invasion reached only 3 (8.5%) vs. 4 patients (11.2%), p = 0.562, in A and B group.Conclusions: Higher level of vessel ligation has no added significance in overall outcome, but has role to lower the risk of recurrence rate in Splenic flexure carcinoma patients.