Comparison of Long-Term Outcomes Between Emergency Surgery and Bridge to Surgery for Malignant Obstruction in Right-Sided Colon Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background

Malignant obstruction in right-sided colon (MORC) has traditionally been treated by emergency resection with primary anastomosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate short-term postoperative and long-term oncologic outcomes according to the surgical approach adopted for MORC.

Methods

A total of 1785 patients who underwent curative surgery for stage II or III colon cancer in seven hospitals were reviewed retrospectively. Seventy-four of 1785 patients had MORC. We compared the postoperative outcome and long-term oncologic outcome between the emergency surgery (ES) group (49 patients) and the bridge to surgery (BS) group (25 patients) for 74 patients with MORC.

Results

There were no differences in the length of the distal and proximal resection margin (p = 0.820 and p = 0.620) or the number of metastatic lymph nodes (p = 0.221). There were no differences in flatus passage (p = 0.242), start of diet (p = 0.336), hospital stay (p = 0.444), or postoperative morbidity (p = 0.762). The 5-year overall survival rates were 73.2 % in the ES group and 90.7 % in the BS group (p = 0.172). Moreover, the 5-year disease-free survival rates were 71.9 % in the ES group and 76.2 % in the BS group (p = 0.929).

Conclusions

On the basis of the above results, the postoperative course of the ES group was similar to that of the BS group. In addition, the long-term oncologic outcome of the BS group was similar or slightly better than that of the ES group. BS after colonic stent may be an alternative option for MORC.