Curr Health Sci J, vol. 41, no. 3, 2015

Current Role of Endoscopic Ultrasonography in Rectal Cancer Evaluation During Multidisciplinary Therapy

[Case reports]

ELENA TATIANA CARTANA(1), CLAUDIA GEORGESCU(2), DIANA TUDORASCU(3), C.C. VERE(1), A. SAFTOIU(4)


(1)Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania,
(2)Department of Pathology, Emergency County Hospital, Craiova, Romania,
(3)Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania,
(4)Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania; Department of Endoscopy, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Denmark


Abstract:

We report the case of a patient presenting in the Gastroenterology Department with intermittent rectal bleeding during the past year. A diagnosis of a low rectal adenocarcinoma was based on colonoscopy examination with biopsies, and staging procedures included transrectal endoscopic ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen and pelvis (cT2N0M0). Consequently the patient was referred for pre-operative chemoradiotherapy, achieving a complete clinical response as documented by repeated EUS and MRI examinations. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery with pathological assessment of the resected specimen revealed residual adenocarcinoma, highlighting the limitations of current imaging methods, and the constant need of technological improvements.


Keywords:
rectal cancer, staging, endoscopic ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, chemoradiotherapy



Corresponding:
Elena Tatiana CArtAna, MD, PhD, Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Romania, 1 Mai Bvd. 66, Craiova, Dolj, 200638, Romania; Telephone: 0040728070292, Fax: +40 251 310.287; e-mail: tatiana.cartana@gmail.com


DOI 10.12865/CHSJ.41.03.11 - Download PDF