A retrospective study on the role of endoscopic ultrasonography in preoperative staging of rectal cancer

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the application of endoscopic ultrasonography for the preoperative staging of rectal cancer in our own experience. Patients and Methods: Between April 2004 and May 2010, all patients with rectal cancer and without neoadjuvant therapy underwent endoscopic ultrasonography, followed by operation at our hospital. The results of endoscopic ultrasonographic staging were compared with those of the postoperative histopathological staging. Results: The accuracy of overall T staging was 86.5%, and for T1, T2, T3 and T4, it was 86.7%, 94.0%, 86.2%, and 65.5%, respectively. The accuracy of T staging for ulcerated lesions was significantly lower than that of non-ulcerated ones. There was also significant difference of the accuracy for T staging between the lesions with a nontraversable stenosis and those without a stricture. The accuracy of N staging was 77.8%, with the specificity and sensitivity being 85.6% and 74.2%, respectively. Conclusions: Endoscopic ultrasonography is safe and effective for preoperative staging of rectal cancer. But as for ulcerated lesions and cases with nontraversable stenoses, the results of EUS staging could be doubtful.