TABLE 1.
Patient characteristics
| Characteristic | WW (n=21) | SPTME (n=21) | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age, y (range) | 68 (45–92) | 66 (44–73) | 0.27 |
| Sex, n (%) | 1 | ||
| Men | 10 (48) | 11 (52) | |
| Women | 11 (52) | 10 (48) | |
| Median tumor distance from anal verge, cm (range) | 6.5 (3–12) | 8 (3–13) | 0.09 |
| AJCC clinical stage, n (%) | 0.54 | ||
| I | 1 (5) | 0 | |
| II | 7 (33) | 6 (29) | |
| III | 13 (62) | 15 (71) | |
| Neoadjuvant therapy, n (%) | 0.12 | ||
| Chemoradiotherapy | 6 (29) | 2 (10) | |
| Total neoadjuvant therapy | 15 (71) | 19 (90) | |
| Anastomosis, n (%) | |||
| Stapled | 19 (90) | ||
| Hand-sewn* | 2 (10) | ||
| Temporary loop ileostomy, n (%) | 19 (90) | ||
| AJCC pathological stage, n (%) | |||
| pCR | 8 (38) | ||
| I | 6 (29) | ||
| II | 2 (10) | ||
| III | 5 (24) |
WW, watch and wait; SPTME, sphincter-preserving total mesorectal excision; AJCC, American Joint Committee on Cancer; pCR, pathological complete response
*
Includes one partial intersphincteric resection.