The Influence of Screening on Outcomes of Clinically Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Screening for colorectal cancer has resulted in declining incidence rates of both colon and rectal cancer and it may influence stage at presentation and improve survival. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of screening on patients diagnosed with locally advanced rectal cancer.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy and had an R0-resection for clinical AJCC stage II or stage III disease. All patients received surgery at a single center between 2004 and 2015. Patients diagnosed through screening were compared to patients diagnosed through symptomatic presentation.

RESULTS: Three hundred nine patients were included, of whom 43 (13.9%) were diagnosed through screening. Screened patients had more often a white ethnicity, while there were no other differences in baseline characteristics or median household income. Screened patients had a lower rate of disease recurrence in addition to a longer disease free survival and overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer diagnosed through screening demonstrated more favorable short and long-term outcomes than patients diagnosed through symptoms. Findings of this study reinforce the need for screening programs in addition to the need for research regarding optimization of screening adherence.