Role of endorectal ultrasonography in staging of rectal cancer

Abstract EN

This study included 50 patients of cancer rectum were admitted in the department of surgery, Assiut University Hospital in the period from February 2002 to June 2003.

Their ages ranged from 15 to 80 and they were 56% males and 44% females the main symptoms were increasing alteration in bowel habits 30 patients (60%) and bleeding per rectum 20 patients (40%).

Adenocarcinoma was found to be the common histopathological type 48 cases (96%) while liposarcoma was found in 2 cases (4%).

n Polypodia! masses constituted about 56% of cases (28 patients) annular types were (24%) while ulcers were 20% of cases.

In 84% of cases (42 patients) the lesions were within the lower two thirds of the rectum.

Concerning the depth of rectal wall invasion 36 of 50 cases were staged correctly by TRUS (72%), 8 cases were over staged (16%) and 6 cases were under staged (12%).

The accuracy rate for each histological T stage PT2 was 50% (7/14), PT3 was 83.33% (20/24) andPT4 was 75% (9/12).

The accuracy for detecting lymph node involvement by TRUS was 68% and a sensitivity 60%.

Conclusion: TRUS is inexpensive and easy to perform technique, Awareness of technical and anatomical factors that produce over or under-estimation allows more accurate tumour staging and thus facilitates management.