MRI May Be Useful in Preventing Recurrence of Rectal Cancer

Preoperative assessment by magnetic resonance imaging of rectal cancer patients may help predict the stage of the cancer, and identify patients who would benefit from more extensive treatment, according to a study in the current issue of The Lancet.

Use of preoperative MRI in this way could help prevent recurrence of rectal cancer, conclude researchers Dr. Regina Beets-Tan and her colleagues at University Hospital in Maastricht, Netherlands. The main cause of recurrence is thought to be incomplete surgical removal of cancerous tissue.

By better predicting the stage of the cancer and how large an area around the tumor should be removed, the MRI allows "preoperative identification of patients at risk of recurrence who will benefit from preoperative radiotherapy, more extensive surgery or both," the researchers added.

Their findings were based on preoperative assessment of 76 patients with primary rectal cancer.

Other sources: The Lancet