Palliative laser therapy for inoperable rectal cancer--does it work? A prospective study of quality of life

Ablative therapies for colorectal polyps and malignancy

Endoscopic techniques are gaining popularity in the management of colorectal polyps and occasionally superficial cancers. While their use is in many times palliative, they have proven to be curative in carefully selected patients with polyps or malignancies, with less morbidity than radical resection. However, one should note that data supporting local and ablative therapies for colorectal cancer is scarce and may be subject to publication bias. Therefore, for curative intent, these techniques should only be considered in highly select cases as higher rates of local recurrences have also been reported. The aim of this review is to explain the different modalities of local and ablative therapies specific to colorectal neoplasia and explain the indications and circumstances where they have been most successful.

Operative colonoscopy in cancer patients

Gastrointestinal endoscopy has experienced tremendous developments in technology and equipment over the past decades. It is not only a diagnostic tool, but it also allows some interventional treatments in benign and malignant digestive diseases. Operative colonoscopy has been used to perform curative treatment of various kinds of polyps, flat and carpet-like adenomas and early colorectal carcinomas. Endoscopic palliative treatment strategies, such as the placement of self-expandable metal stents (SEMS), laser ablation, photodynamic therapy (PDT), argon plasma coagulation (APC), electrocoagulation, and injection therapy, have been proved to effectively alleviate advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) associated symptoms and maintain or improve the quality of the patient's remaining life.

Retrospective review of laser therapy for palliation of colorectal tumours

Patients with inoperable colorectal tumours will often require symptomatic relief due to the nature of extensive disease spread or existing co-morbidities. The use of laser treatment for palliation of tumours in the lower gastrointestinal tract has become an attractive treatment option for such patients. This paper presents the results of a retrospective review of 58 case notes in order to determine the effectiveness of laser therapy in palliating symptoms of colorectal tumours. In addition, the paper aims to identify which colorectal symptoms laser is best used to palliate. The study was conducted in a regional coloproctology unit at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. The main findings show that 52% (n=30) of patients had successful (complete/good) resolution of symptoms, 36% (n=21) had a poor response and 12% (n=7) had no resolution of symptoms from laser therapy. Of all documented symptoms, this study found that laser is most effective at palliating obstructive symptoms. It also has beneficial application in the palliation of bleeding and mucous discharge. It is less effective for the anal symptoms of tenesmus and pain and for stool related symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, frequency and incontinence.

Eight years experience of high-powered endoscopic diode laser therapy for palliation of colorectal carcinoma

PURPOSE

Endoscopic laser therapy using neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser has been shown to be effective in palliating symptoms of obstruction, bleeding, and discharge in patients with colorectal cancer. These patients usually have advanced inoperable disease at presentation or are unfit for surgery. We have used high-powered diode laser to palliate patients with inoperable colorectal cancer since 1994. This study was designed to determine the success rate of high-powered diode laser in palliating inoperable colorectal carcinoma and compare these figures with those published for Nd:YAG laser.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed of all patients undergoing high-powered diode laser therapy for colorectal carcinoma between June 1994 and October 2002 (inclusive) at St. George's Hospital, London, United Kingdom. Patient's notes and endoscopy records were reviewed to determine the indications for treatment, success of symptom palliation, complications, and survival for each patient.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven patients (28 males), with a median age at first treatment of 82 (range, 51-93) years, were identified who had been palliated with high-powered diode laser therapy for colorectal carcinoma. The median number of treatments received by each patient was three (range, 1-16 treatments), with a median interval between treatments of 9.5 (range, 1-25) weeks. Lifelong palliation of symptoms occurred in 51 patients (89 percent). Major complications were two perforations and one hemorrhage, giving an overall complication rate of 5.3 percent. One of the patients who experienced perforation died, giving an overall mortality rate of 1.8 percent for the procedure. The median survival of the 51 patients palliated completely by laser therapy was 8.5 (range, 0.6-52) months, with a probability of survival at 24 months of 15 percent.

CONCLUSIONS

High-powered diode laser therapy is an effective method of providing palliation for obstruction, bleeding, and discharge in those patients with inoperable colorectal carcinoma. It produces results comparable to therapy with Nd:YAG laser and the equipment is cheaper, more compact, and portable.

Endoscopic methods (other than stents) for palliation of rectal carcinoma

Patients with unresectable or metastatic rectal cancer may have symptoms of obstruction, bleeding, pain, or tenesmus. Insertion of a self-expandable metal stent is the most durable nonsurgical method for relieving obstruction and has been reviewed in the previous article. Other endoscopic methods of palliating obstruction have been largely replaced by expandable metal stent placement. However, laser ablation is still a useful therapy for some patients, particularly when the predominant symptom is rectal bleeding. The indications and results of endoscopic laser therapy along with other endoscopic treatments for the palliation of rectal cancer will be reviewed here.

Combined endoscopic laser and radiotherapy palliation of advanced rectal cancer

BACKGROUND

In the palliative treatment of patients with advanced, inoperable rectal cancer, combined endoscopic laser and radiotherapy have been claimed to be more effective than laser therapy alone. The number of laser treatments, laser energy used, relapse rate, treatment of relapse, morbidity and survival in consecutive patients who were treated either by laser therapy alone or laser plus radiotherapy was compared.

METHODS

Prospective data were analysed with regard to number of treatments, laser energy used, relapse rate, morbidity and survival for 56 consecutive patients.

RESULTS

The crude relapse rate was significantly higher in the laser only group than in the laser plus radiotherapy group (58 and 15%, respectively; P = 0.002). There was no difference between the groups in the median total number of laser treatments or the mean total laser energy used. In patients experiencing a relapse, there was no difference in the median number of relapses, the number of laser treatments post-relapse or the total energy used post-relapse. Survival did not differ between the groups and there were no treatment-related deaths.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate a clear reduction in relapse after using combined laser and radiotherapy to palliate patients with advanced rectal cancer with no appreciable additional morbidity and have encouraged continuing use of this treatment.

Endoscopic laser therapy for palliation of patients with distal colorectal carcinoma: analysis of factors influencing long-term outcome

BACKGROUND

Incurable rectal cancer often reduces the quality of life because of obstruction, bleeding, pain and tenesmus. For such symptoms palliative therapy is often carried out.

METHODS

From 1986 to 1995, 219 patients, 118 men and 101 women, mean age 67 years, with distal colorectal adenocarcinoma were referred for palliative endoscopic laser therapy. In this retrospective analysis of outcome, patients were allocated to 3 subgroups according to their dominant symptom: obstruction, bleeding and others (soiling, diarrhea, tenesmus). After initial successful treatment, maintenance therapy was carried out in cases of obstruction at intervals of 2 to 4 months; patients with bleeding, tenesmus or diarrhea were retreated if there was recurrence of symptoms.

RESULTS

Initial successful palliation was obtained in 198 patients (92%), with similar results in the 3 subgroups. Long-term, effective palliation was achieved in 160 patients (75%) of the total study population. Seventy-six patients (65.0%) with obstruction, 63 (82.9%) with bleeding and 21 (80.8%) with other symptoms remained symptom free until death or this analysis of results. There was a significantly negative relation between long-term successful outcome and local spread of the tumor in the obstruction (p = 0.040) and bleeding groups (p = 0.014). The total number of treatments was significantly higher if obstruction was present at presentation (p< 0.05) and if tumors were circumferential (p = 0.05). Major complications were perforation (4.1%), fistula (3.2%), abscess (1.7%) and bleeding (4.1%). There were 5 (possibly) procedure-related deaths. The survival rate was 44.4% at 1 year and 20.4% at 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Laser therapy is effective for initial palliation but careful patient selection is necessary. Long-term palliation is less feasible in patients with obstruction.

An assessment of the use of costs and quality of life as outcomes in endoscopic research

BACKGROUND

Costs and quality of life are increasingly important study outcomes. We quantitatively and qualitatively assessed their use in recent endoscopic research.

METHODS

All Medline-retrieved 1985 to 1995 published gastrointestinal endoscopic research using cost and/or quality of life as outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight (1.2%) of an estimated 5568 publications discussed costs and/or quality of life as endoscopic outcomes (24 quality of life, 37 cost-effectiveness, 7 cost-benefit). Their use did not increase with time. Cost or quality of life was infrequently a primary study outcome. Twenty of 24 (83%) quality of life papers used an objective scale. However, of these, 15 of 20 (75%) used symptom indexes, performance scales, or other nonvalidated quality of life instruments. Two of 24 (8%) evaluated quality of life in nonmalignant disease. Eight of 40 (20%) papers claimed endoscopy was cost-effective, with no evidence of formal cost assessment. Ten of 32 (31%) substituted charges for costs. Of 21 papers reporting cost data, 4 (19%) specified cost type (e.g., direct vs other), 6 (29%) specified cost perspective, and 9 (43%) reported sensitivity analysis. Sixteen of 27 (59%) cost-effectiveness papers did not correlate costs with changes in a health outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall cost and quality of life assessment in endoscopic research has been limited and must be improved. Accurate cost and quality of life assessment will require cooperation between gastroenterologists and experts in these fields.

Staged delivery of Nd:YAG laser therapy for palliation of advanced rectal carcinoma

PURPOSE

This study was designed to assess the degree of symptom relief, complication rate, and survival time of patients who undergo palliation with the neodymiumyttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser for advanced rectal cancer.

METHODS

Charts of 41 consecutive patients with advanced rectal cancer treated by this method were reviewed.

RESULTS

Thirty-three patients received laser treatment for a primary tumor, and eight received laser palliation for local recurrence following previous surgery. Mean number of treatments delivered was 2 (range, 1-6) for patients with a primary lesion and 2 (range, 1-4) for those patients with local recurrence. In patients in whom more than one delivery was required, subsequent procedures were deferred for more than six weeks. Morbidity rate was 2 percent, with no procedure-related mortality. Median survival time was 19 (range, 1-60) months for patients with a primary tumor and 7 (range, 3-38) months for patients with local recurrence. Four patients subsequently elected to undergo palliative surgery, and five other patients had a loop colostomy formed because of large-bowel obstruction after a mean of 24 (range, 18-41) months. Nd:YAG laser treatment offered adequate laser palliation for 78 percent of patients in this series. However, patients who survive for more than 24 months after their first laser treatment are more likely to require palliative surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of patients undergoing laser ablation for palliation do not require large numbers of treatment sessions. By delaying the interval between treatments, morbidity and mortality rates are negligible. Most patients avoid a stoma or defer the date of requiring one before their death with this therapy.

Quality-of-Life Assessment in Palliative Care

BACKGROUND: Understanding the effects of cancer on the quality of life of affected patients is critical to clinical research as well as to optimal management and care. METHODS: Nine instruments for assessing quality of life in patients with cancer are identified, and their effectiveness during palliative care is analyzed. RESULTS: Most of the instruments included physical, functional, and symptom control, as well as psychologic and social aspects. Financial and spiritual aspects were included less often. While all but two of the instruments had adequate validity and reliability data published, only two - the Spitzer Quality-of-Life Index and the Hospice Quality-of-Life Index - were designed and validated for palliative care populations. CONCLUSIONS: Although a variety of instruments is currently available, none is ideal for all palliative care settings. Further development and refinement of instruments are needed.

Local excision of rectal tumours

Local excision of colorectal tumour may be palliative or curative. Recent advances in minimal access techniques have allowed curative excision to be offered to a wider range of patients. Absolute indications for potentially curative local excision include mobile tumours, T1 tumours (assessed by ultrasonography), well or moderately differentiated histology (determined by biopsy) and tumour size less than 3 cm. Relative indications include T2 and T3 tumours (by ultrasonography), poorly differentiated histology (by biopsy) and tumour size greater than 3 cm depending on patient fitness. The rationale for these recommendations is described in detail.

Lasers in rectosigmoid tumors

Over a 14-year period, 746 patients were treated at the Lille Laser Center for rectosigmoid tumor. Two hundred seventy-two patients were treated for palliation of symptoms from rectosigmoid cancer and 474 patients were treated for a benign rectosigmoid villous adenoma. The immediate success rate and complication rate were 85% and 2%, respectively, for patients with advanced cancer, and 92.8% and 1.8% for those with a villous adenoma. Patients with an advanced cancer remained functionally improved during a 10.1-month average period after initial improvement. The recurrence rate after initial treatment for villous adenomas was 18% during a 29.7-month average follow-up. Immediate results were influenced by reason for treatment, initial symptoms, and circumferential extension for patients with a cancer, and only by circumferential extension for patients with a villous adenoma. Long-term results were influenced by reason for treatment and circumferential extension for patients with cancer, and by reason for treatment, initial histology and localization for patients with a villous adenoma. Laser treatment provided relief of symptoms in inoperable patients with advanced rectosigmoid carcinomas. Because treatment is long and difficult and the cancer rate is high, endoscopic laser should be limited in patients with a circumferential villous adenoma to non-surgical candidates. The risk of complication after surgery (some being fatal) has to be balanced against the risk of undetected carcinoma and the indication for endoscopic laser treatment should be discussed case by case.

Transanal local resection for benign and malignant rectal tumours

Local therapy has been widely reported and accepted for benign tumours and carefully selected cancers of the rectum. Thirty-three patients with benign or malignant low rectal tumors have undergone a prospective evaluation after local resection with transanal electroresection as described by Faivre. Patients were divided in three groups: 1) local excision of benign tumours (12 patients), 2) curative resection for localised malignant tumours (7 patients) and 3) palliative local resection for malignant tumours (14 patients). The complications included transient incontinence and rectal bleeding. Patients have been followed for a mean period of 18 months (1-54). In group 3 there were four (28%) recurrences. The remainder of the patients with malignant tumours have been free of disease on follow-up. Although it is ideal for benign neoplasms, further follow-up is needed to determine its true indication in malignant lesions.

Lasers in anorectal surgery

Laser technology has been applied widely in the treatment of hemorrhoids, condylomas, and anorectal neoplasms. It is claimed by its proponents to result in less pain, improved healing, and more rapid recovery as compared with conventional surgery. Laser therapy, however, is expensive and potentially dangerous, and advantages generally have not been substantiated by controlled clinical trials. The possible benefits and potential risks of laser treatment of anorectal disorders are examined.

Palliation of rectosigmoid neoplasms with Nd:YAG laser treatment

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Nd:YAG laser treatment as palliation for rectosigmoid neoplasms.

METHODS

Indications for laser therapy, the degree and duration of symptom relief, complication rate, and survival time were recorded in consecutive patients.

RESULTS

Seventy-four patients entered the study. Poor general health in older patients, and disseminated or complicating disease were the most frequent indications for therapy. Fifty-five (74 percent) patients experienced good symptomatic effect from the treatment. Six complications occurred: five cases of perforation and one case of moderate bleeding. There was no mortality. The median survival was seven months (range, 14 days-39 months).

CONCLUSION

Laser treatment is a good palliative method in patients with colorectal cancer, especially in patients with local recurrence or symptoms from non-resected tumors.

Nd:YAG laser in treatment of rectal cancer. Are there features predicting a curative result?

In the present study we report the results of Nd:YAG laser treatment in 36 patients with rectal carcinoma in whom negative biopsies were obtained at the end of the treatment. The laser (100-W maximal power output) was applied through a flexible endoscope during 20- to 40-min sessions repeated every three days until the lesion was destroyed completely. Follow-up examinations, including endoscopy with biopsies, liver and endorectal ultrasonography and chest x-ray were performed every three months during the first year and thereafter once a year. Between 1980 and 1991, 272 patients were treated. All were unfit for surgery because of metastasis (78), recurrence after an other procedure (54), associated conditions, or old age (140). No circumferential tumors of any size were obliterated, but among the 139 patients presenting with a noncircumferential lesion less than 7 cm in diameter, negative biopsies were obtained after laser treatment in 36 patients (26%). Of these 36 patients, eight had been treated previously by surgery (5) or radiotherapy (3). Mean follow-up is 37 months (range 12-71). Recurrences were observed in four cases. Seven patients died during the study but only one death was related to the cancer (pelvic extension 19 months after treatment). Endorectal ultrasonography was performed prior to treatment in 15 patients and showed no invasion of the rectal wall deeper than the submucosa. After treatment, endorectal ultrasonography in 22 patients showed significant changes corresponding to cicatricial pattern in 60% of controlled patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Management of advanced rectal cancer

If possible, palliative resection should be undertaken for advanced rectal cancer as it provides good relief of local symptoms; there is, however, little evidence that it prolongs survival. If palliative excision is not possible, endoscopic transanal resection may be used for obstructing lesions at or below the peritoneal reflection. Laser therapy is an alternative in the frail. Both procedures allow quick and effective relief of symptoms. These methods and other options for treating advanced rectal cancer are described in this review.

Comparison between endoscopic laser and different surgical treatments for palliation of advanced rectal cancer

The results of different treatment modalities in 196 patients with rectal carcinoma were analyzed. Patients were treated by palliative endoscopic laser therapy (n = 37), palliative surgery (n = 42), and curative surgery (n = 117). Laser therapy was successful for recanalization of the stenosis with 1.3 (range, one to five) sessions. Bleeding stopped always after a single session. If necessary, treatment was repeated monthly. Good results were seen in 35/37 patients (95 percent). They received an average of four sessions during their remaining lifetime, the median of which was eight months. No morbidity and no therapy-related mortality occurred. Palliative surgery (expanded and restricted resections) showed good results in 41/42 patients (98 percent). Morbidity was 3/42 (7 percent); mortality was 1/42 (2 percent). The median survival was 14 months for local surgical treatment and 6.3 months for deep anterior rectal resection and for abdominoperineal (Dixon's) resection. No significant difference (P = 0.15) in survival times between the palliatively treated patient groups could be detected. Survival prognosis was determined by tumor stage and outcome. In the curative (outcome R0) resection patients, morbidity and mortality were each 9/117 (8 percent). The three-year survival rate was 80 percent. If curative resection is impossible, laser therapy should be considered as an alternative to palliative surgery because of less hospitalization and seemingly less side effects. The decision on the kind of palliation in patients with rectal carcinoma should be made with regard to the patient's quality of life.

Palliation by laser photoablation: a multidisciplinary quality assessment

To evaluate the quality of life and degree of palliation by laser photoablation for gastrointestinal cancer, a questionnaire was sent to general practitioners (GPs) and referring specialists. The response was 85%. General practitioners considered palliation by laser to be effective in 74% compared with 50% for referring specialists (p less than 0.001). Specialists felt themselves unable to answer in 17% compared with no GPs (p less than 0.001). The differences in assessment between specialists and GPs were most pronounced in colorectal cancers. There was a striking consensus of opinion about the rate of failed palliation among endoscopist, referring specialist, and GP. On the other hand, the rating of success by specialists and GPs was significantly lower than the endoscopist's evaluation. The endoscopist and GP were more at variance than the endoscopist and specialist. Above all, the GPs seemed to outweigh the burden against the benefits of treatment. Disagreement of the specialists and the GPs with the endoscopist about the outcome appeared to be related to unrealistic expectations, to a shift in presenting symptoms or to complications, misinterpreted as being laser-induced but mainly due to progression of disease.

Electrocoagulation for adenocarcinoma of the low rectum

Cancers of the distal rectum (less than 7.5 cm from the anal verge) that are freely mobile, moderately well or well differentiated, less than 4 cm in size, limited to the bowel wall, and without evidence of metastasis should be considered candidates for treatment with electrocoagulation for cure. Tumor cell ploidy and evaluation with intrarectal ultrasound may in the future add additional useful information with regard to patient selection. Electrocoagulation and laser ablation of tumors may also be useful modalities for palliation of patients with metastatic disease or who are not candidates for curative surgery.

Endoscopic laser therapy for neoplastic lesions of the colorectum

Surgical resection is the therapy of choice for most colorectal neoplasms. Endoscopic laser therapy (ELT) is a recently developed alternative for treatment of colorectal neoplasms and is applicable in a variety of clinical circumstances in which nonoperative treatment is preferable. The experience with ELT using the Nd:YAG (neodynium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet) laser in 42 patients was analyzed. The diagnosis was colorectal adenocarcinoma in 32 patients (76%) and neoplastic polyps in 10 (24%). ELT was undertaken either as a palliative treatment for malignant disease (60%), with curative intent for benign disease (26%), or as a temporizing measure (14%) in a total of 84 treatment sessions. Successful palliation or cure was achieved in 40 patients (95%) with 4 minor complications (9%) and no procedure-related deaths. This experience confirms ELT as an effective alternative to surgical therapy in the palliative, curative, or interim treatment of certain colorectal neoplasms in patients with prohibitive operative risk, limited anticipated survival, incurability, or diffidence toward operation.

Nd:YAG laser treatment of colorectal malignancies: an experience of 4 1/2 years

Between 1985 and 1990, 517 patients were treated for colorectal malignancies at our department of surgery. Nd:YAG laser therapy was used in 37 cases (7.1%). The mean age of these 22 men and 15 women was 71.4 years (range: 22-96 years). One hundred-twenty-nine Nd:YAG laser treatments were performed. Indications for laser treatment were (1) palliative tumor reduction (n = 21), (2) preresectional laser recanalization for obstructing carcinoma (n = 6), and (3) curative treatment (n = 10). Laser related complications included one perforation of the rectum and one rectovaginal fistula. One fatal pulmonary embolism occurred. After palliative treatment, five patients died because of tumor progression (mean survival time: 16 months), two because of other reasons. All patients with obstructing tumors could be recanalized successfully. After curative treatment, eight patients are still alive without tumor recurrence (mean survival time: 25.5 months), and two died of other causes. Palliative Nd:YAG laser treatment of colorectal malignancies is a competitive alternative to conventional surgery. Recanalization of obstructing tumors is an excellent treatment for large bowel obstruction, making one-stage resections possible. Curative treatment should be reserved for special cases only.

Lasers in surgery

In January 1991 the winter meeting of the Surgical Research Society was held at St. Bartholomew's Hospital and the Institute of Education, London. During the meeting a symposium was held entitled 'Shedding light on lasers'. Speakers addressed the general principles of lasers, laser-tissue interactions and the applications of lasers in gastro-enterology and in vascular disease. This was followed by an open discussion of the current indications, complications and outcome, together with future possible applications for lasers in medicine.

Endoscopic Nd:YAG laser treatment of rectosigmoid cancer

Forty nine patients with rectosigmoid carcinoma considered unsuitable for surgery underwent endoscopic Nd:YAG laser treatment for palliation of symptoms and tumour eradication, if feasible. Altogether 25 (51%) of the lesions had distal margins less than 7 cm from the anus and 36 (73%) extended above the peritoneal reflection. In seven patients with tumours less than 3 cm in diameter, symptomatic improvement was achieved in all (mean follow up 16 months) and complete tumour eradication in three. In the remaining 42 patients with larger tumours (34 greater than 2/3 circumferential, mean length 5.5 cm), symptomatic improvement was achieved with repeated treatments (average 3.4) in 31 (74%) over a mean follow up of 19 weeks. Of the parameters assessed, only circumferential tumour extent proved significant in predicting functional outcome after treatment. All treatment failures (eight initial, three late) occurred in patients with extensive tumours, and only seven of these patients were considered fit for colostomy. Bowel perforation occurred in two patients (5%) but there was no treatment-related mortality. Mean stay in hospital for all laser treatments was nine days (30% were outpatient attendances). These results suggest that laser therapy may be the palliative treatment of choice in patients with rectal carcinoma unsuitable for surgery.

Laser therapy in the management of benign and malignant tumours in the colon and rectum

Since 1983 the Neodymium-YAG laser has been used endoscopically to treat 93 patients with inoperable colorectal carcinoma and 18 patients with benign sessile adenomas. In an additional 11 patients with colorectal cancer, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been applied using an argon-pumped dye laser. Objective and subjective measurements of quality of life have shown the beneficial effects of the Nd-YAG laser in the relief of symptoms, and four patients have apparently been rendered disease free. Benign tumours also respond to Nd-YAG ablation but close histological supervision is necessary to detect malignant transformation at an early stage. Although PDT may offer a potential for cure in small inoperable tumours, it seems likely that Nd-YAG laser treatment will remain the laser option of choice for advanced bulky tumours.