MRI morphologic and clinicopathologic characteristics for predicting outcomes in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the value of MRI morphologic and clinicopathologic factors for predicting 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Method

In this retrospective study, pre- and post-neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) MRI morphologic (e.g., pre-nCRT MRI-detected extramural venous invasion) and clinicopathologic variabilities (e.g., pathological complete response) were evaluated in all patients. Three-year DFS was estimated using Kaplan–Meier product-limit method, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine associations between morphologic or clinicopathologic variabilities and survival outcomes.

Results

A total of 115 patients (39 females and 76 males; median age, 54 years; age range, 28–82 years) with LARC treated with nCRT were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 48.0 months, the 3-year DFS was 79.0% for all patients. During follow-up, 18 patients died, 28 patients experienced relapse (26 distant, one local, and one both), and 69 patients were censored. MRI-detected extramural venous invasion (mrEMVI) was the only significantly independent factor of long-term survival, while HR was 2.308 (95% CI 1.151–4.629, P = 0.018) on univariate and 2.495 (95% CI 1.243–5.012, P = 0.010) on multivariate analysis. The 3-year cumulative survival rate in patients with mrEMVI negativity compared with positivity were 86.6% versus 65.0% (P = 0.015), respectively.

Conclusion

In conclusion, pre-nCRT mrEMVI status was the independent significant risk factor for long-term outcomes in LARC patients treated with nCRT, while the other morphologic and clinicopathologic characteristics were not related to the patient survival.