ORGAN PRESERVATION IN RECTAL NEOPLASIA: LESSONS FROM EIGHT YEARS OF TAMIS balaji.jay73@gmail.com

 

ORGAN PRESERVATION IN RECTAL NEOPLASIA: LESSONS FROM EIGHT YEARS OF TAMIS

2

United Kingdom

Oral only

Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) has emerged as a safe and effective technique for the local excision of rectal polyps and early cancers. It offers lower morbidity compared with radical resection, while preserving organ function. We present our eight-year single-centre experience evaluating oncological and functional outcomes following TAMIS.

A retrospective review was conducted of all patients who underwent TAMIS between January 2017 and March 2025 at a UK district general hospital. Data collected included patient demographics, indication for surgery (benign polyp vs early rectal cancer), histopathology, postoperative complications, and need for further radical surgery. Patients were followed up in accordance with national surveillance protocols.

Seventy-five patients underwent TAMIS during the study period. The majority were treated for large rectal polyps or early-stage malignant lesions. Histopathology confirmed complete local excision in the majority of cases. Four patients (5%) subsequently required elective radical resection (low anterior resection or abdominoperineal excision) due to adverse histological features. The remaining 71 patients were managed with surveillance. At median follow-up, recurrence was rare, and the majority of patients remained disease-free. No procedure-related mortality occurred. Complications were minimal and managed conservatively.

TAMIS provides a safe, minimally invasive alternative to radical surgery for carefully selected patients with rectal polyps and early cancers. With low rates of conversion to further surgery and favourable long-term outcomes, TAMIS should be considered an integral option in the multimodal management of rectal neoplasia.