April 11, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW SURGICAL PROCEDURE OFFERED AT RPCI

BUFFALO, NY - Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is offering men and women diagnosed with rectal cancer another option when it comes to treating their disease aggressively. A new surgical procedure enables surgeons at RPCI to remove rectal tumors without radical surgery.

The Transanal Endoscopic Microscope (TEM) is a surgical device that was invented in Germany and is now available at limited locations in the United States. With the TEM, RPCI surgeons are able to see tumors in the rectal area more clearly which should make more patients with early-stage rectal cancer eligible for localized surgery.

“The TEM offers a greater opportunity to decrease surgical side effects and possibly retain normal anal spinchter function in patients following surgery,” said Ashwani Rajput, MD, Department of Surgery. “We believe that the TEM gives us more options for treating patients who have early-stage tumors or polyps located in the rectum.”

Candidates for this procedure must have early-stage rectal tumors or polyps located in the lower or mid-rectum. Ideally, tumors should not be larger than four centimeters, although in certain situations, larger, benign polyps can be considered for this procedure.

The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 40,340 new cases of rectal cancer diagnosed in the United States this year. Men are more likely to develop rectal cancer than women although the risk for both sexes increases after age 50.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute- designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York.  RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers.  For more information, visit RPCI’s website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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