Does a Distal Surgical Margin Closer than 10 mm Increase the Risk of Recurrence in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer in a Mid-Distal Location?

Aim: Although many factors affecting recurrence, including surgical margin involvement, have been considered in rectum cancer surgery, there is no consensus on the definition of a safe distal surgical margin (DSM).We aimed to investigate the oncological safety of a DSM closer than 10 mm and the factors affecting relapse in mid-distal located rectum tumours. Method: Patients who underwent sphincter-preserving rectal curative resection following neoadjuvant chemoradiotheraphy between February 2006 and June 2019 for mid-distal lying rectum tumours were investigated retrospectively. Patients with radial or distal surgical margin involvement, having a complete pathologic response, or being lost to follow-up were excluded from the study. Patients and tumour characteristics, clinical and pathological disease stages, and recurrence and disease-free survival rates were compared between groups created along a cut-off value of 10 mm in DSM (DSM