Rectal Surgery Evaluation Trial (RESET)

Total mesorectal excision (TME) is the standard of care for rectal cancer, which can be combined with low anterior resection (LAR) in patients with mid-to-low rectal cancer. The narrow pelvic space and difficulties in obtaining adequate exposure make surgeries technically challenging. Four techniques are used to perform the surgery: open laparotomy, laparoscopy, robot-assisted surgery, and transanal surgery. Comparative data for these techniques is required to provide clinical data on the surgical management of rectal cancers by surgery.

Sex

All

Minimum age

18 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age ≥ 18 years old
2. Rectal adenocarcinoma from middle and lower third (less than 10 cm from the anal verge) with a sphincter saving procedure
3. High risk operative patients (two of these factors as assessed on MRI):

   1. Obese patient with a BMI \> 30 (male or female)
   2. Narrow pelvis: inter-tuberous distance \< 10 cm
   3. Large tumoral volume with suspicion of close predictive margin (CRM ≤ 1 mm) at diagnosis
   4. Expected coloanal or ultra-low colorectal anastomosis
4. Patients with adequate performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Scale score of ≤2)
5. Patient has signed and dated the informed consent before inclusion in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patient with a comorbid illness or condition that would preclude the use of surgery.
2. Patients with T4b tumors which impose a pelvectomy
3. Patient requires an abdominal perineal resection (APR)
4. Patients with concurrent or previous invasive pelvic malignant tumors (cervical, uterine, or rectal; excluding the prostate) within 5 years before study enrollment
5. Patient undergoing emergency procedures
6. Planned rectal surgery along with major concomitant procedures (e.g. hepatectomies, other intestinal resections)
7. Metastatic disease
8. Pregnant or suspected pregnancy
9. Patients unwilling to comply with all follow-up study requirements
10. Patient included in another study which impact on the surgical technique or its choice.

• BACKGROUNDHompes R, Guy R, Jones O, Lindsey I, Mortensen N, Cunningham C. Transanal total mesorectal excision with a side-to-end stapled anastomosis - a video vignette. Colorectal Dis. 2014 Jul;16(7):567. doi: 10.1111/codi.12660. No abstract available. PMID 24801986
• BACKGROUNDMacFarlane JK, Ryall RD, Heald RJ. Mesorectal excision for rectal cancer. Lancet. 1993 Feb 20;341(8843):457-60. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(93)90207-w. PMID 8094488
• BACKGROUNDBuchs NC, Nicholson GA, Ris F, Mortensen NJ, Hompes R. Transanal total mesorectal excision: A valid option for rectal cancer? World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Nov 7;21(41):11700-8. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i41.11700. PMID 26556997
• BACKGROUNDSun Z, Kim J, Adam MA, Nussbaum DP, Speicher PJ, Mantyh CR, Migaly J. Minimally Invasive Versus Open Low Anterior Resection: Equivalent Survival in a National Analysis of 14,033 Patients With Rectal Cancer. Ann Surg. 2016 Jun;263(6):1152-8. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000001388. PMID 26501702
• BACKGROUNDVennix S, Pelzers L, Bouvy N, Beets GL, Pierie JP, Wiggers T, Breukink S. Laparoscopic versus open total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Apr 15;2014(4):CD005200. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005200.pub3. PMID 24737031
• BACKGROUNDvan der Pas MH, Haglind E, Cuesta MA, Furst A, Lacy AM, Hop WC, Bonjer HJ; COlorectal cancer Laparoscopic or Open Resection II (COLOR II) Study Group. Laparoscopic versus open surgery for rectal cancer (COLOR II): short-term outcomes of a randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2013 Mar;14(3):210-8. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(13)70016-0. Epub 2013 Feb 6. PMID 23395398
• BACKGROUNDLee SH, Lim S, Kim JH, Lee KY. Robotic versus conventional laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Surg Treat Res. 2015 Oct;89(4):190-201. doi: 10.4174/astr.2015.89.4.190. Epub 2015 Sep 25.