Background: Following a national audit of rectal cancer management in 2007, a national centralization program in the Republic of Ireland was initiated. In 2010, a prospective evaluation of rectal cancer treatment and early outcomes was conducted.
Methods: A total of 29 colorectal surgeons in 14 centers prospectively collated data on all patients with rectal cancer who underwent curative surgery in 2010.
Results: Data were available on 447 patients who underwent proctectomy with curative intent for rectal cancer in 2010; 23.7 % of patients underwent abdominoperineal excision. The median number of lymph nodes identified was 12. The 30-day mortality rate was 1.1 %. Compared with 2007, there was a reduction in positive circumferential margin rate (15.8 vs 4.5 %, P < 0.001), clinical anastomotic leak rate (10.8 vs 4.3 %, P = 0.002), and postoperative radiotherapy use (17.8 vs 4.0 %, P < 0.001). Also, 53.9 % received preoperative radiotherapy in 2010. Four centers gave statistically more patients (high-administration), and four centers gave fewer patients (low-administration) preoperative radiotherapy for T2/T3 tumors (P < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, being treated in a "high-administration center" increased the likelihood (likelihood ratio [LR], 2.9; 95 % CI 1.7-4.8; P < 0.001) while attending a "low-administration center" (LR, 0.3; 95 % CI 0.2-0.5; P < 0.001) reduced the likelihood of receiving preoperative radiotherapy for a T2/T3 rectal cancer.
Conclusions: Patients undergoing rectal cancer surgery in hospitals following a national centralization initiative received high-quality surgery. Significant heterogeneity exists in radiotherapy administration, and evidence-based guidelines should be developed and implemented.