Patient-Reported Bowel Function in Patients With Rectal Cancer Managed by a Watch-and-Wait Strategy After Neoadjuvant Therapy: A Case–Control Study

BACKGROUND A watch-and-wait strategy is a nonoperative alternative to sphincter-preserving surgery for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who achieve a clinical complete response after neoadjuvant therapy. There are limited data about bowel function for patients undergoing this organ-preservation approach. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare bowel function in patients with rectal cancer managed with a watch-and-wait approach with bowel function in patients who underwent sphincter-preserving surgery (total mesorectal excision). DESIGN This was a retrospective case-control study using patient-reported outcomes. SETTINGS The study was conducted at a comprehensive cancer center. PATIENTS Twenty-one patients underwent a watch-and-wait approach and were matched 1:1 with 21 patients from a pool of 190 patients who underwent sphincter-preserving surgery, based on age, sex, and tumor distance from the anal verge. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Bowel function was measured using the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Bowel Function Instrument. RESULTS Patients in the watch-and-wait arm had better bowel function on the overall scale (median total score, 76 vs 55; p < 0.001) and on all of the subscales, with the greatest difference on the urgency/soilage subscale (median score, 20 vs 12; p < 0.001). LIMITATIONS The study was limited by its retrospective design, small sample size, and temporal variability between surgery and time of questionnaire completion. CONCLUSIONS A watch-and-wait strategy correlated with overall better bowel function when compared with sphincter-preserving surgery using a comprehensive validated bowel dysfunction tool. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B218. FUNCION EVACUATORIA INFORMADA POR PACIENTES EN CANCER RECTAL MANEJADO CON UNA ESTRATEGIA DE OBSERVAR Y ESPERAR DESPUES DE LA TERAPIA NEOADYUVANTE: UN ESTUDIO DE CASOS Y CONTROLES: Observar y esperar es una alternativa no operativa a la cirugia de preservacion del esfinter para pacientes con cancer rectal localmente avanzado que logran una respuesta clinica completa despues de la terapia neoadyuvante. Hay datos limitados sobre la funcion evacuatoria en pacientes sometidos a este abordaje para preservacion de organos.Evaluar la funcion evacuatoria en pacientes con cancer rectal manejados con observar y esperar comparado a pacientes sometidos a cirugia de preservacion de esfinteres (escision mesorrectal total).Estudio retrospectivo de casos y controles utilizando resultados reportados por pacientes.Centro especializado oncologico.21 pacientes se sometieron a observar y esperar y se compararon con 21 pacientes de un grupo de 190 pacientes que se sometieron a cirugia de preservacion de esfinteres controlando por edad, sexo y la distancia del tumor al borde anal.Funcion evacuatoria utilizando un instrumento de valoracion del Centro de Cancer Memorial Sloan Kettering.Los pacientes de observar y esperar demostraron mejor funcion evacuatoria en la escala general (puntuacion total media, 76 versus 55; p