New Findings from National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital in the Area of Rectal Cancer Reported (Endoscopic resection versus surgery for T1 rectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of oncologic and safety outcomes): Oncology – Rectal Cancer

2026 MAR 12 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at South Korea Daily Report -- Current study results on Oncology - Rectal Cancer have been published. According to news reporting originating in Goyang, South Korea, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Surgical resection (SR) has been recommended for T1 rectal cancer, but concerns about postoperative morbidity and impaired quality of life continue to pose a significant burden for patients. Endoscopic resection (ER) offers a minimally invasive alternative; however, its oncologic sufficiency compared to SR remains unclear.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, “We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the comparative effectiveness and safety of ER versus SR in patients with T1 rectal cancer. We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and KMBASE up to October 2024 for studies comparing ER and SR in patients with T1 rectal cancer. Thirty-one non-randomized observational studies involving 63,443 patients were included. Outcomes of interest were overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), recurrence, and adverse events. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool, and the certainty of evidence was evaluated with the GRADE framework. Compared with SR, ER was associated with a higher risk of death and tumor recurrence, along with a non-significant trend toward higher hazards for OS and DFS. It also carried an increased risk of delayed bleeding and perforation. However, ER demonstrated significantly fewer postoperative complications, including intra-abdominal leakage, wound infection, and minor adverse events. The certainty of evidence was rated as low to very low due to confounding, selection bias, and imprecision. While many patients favored curability and recurrence prevention, others valued reduced invasiveness and faster recovery. In patients with T1 rectal cancer, ER is associated with a lower incidence of postoperative complications compared to SR. However, current evidence does not support the superiority of ER in terms of long-term oncologic outcomes.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “ER may be considered a reasonable option in carefully selected patients-particularly older adults or those at high surgical risk-through shared decision-making that incorporates clinical factors and individual preferences.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Endoscopic resection versus surgery for T1 rectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of oncologic and safety outcomes. Surgical Endoscopy, 2026. Surgical Endoscopy can be contacted at: Springer, One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, Ny, United States. (Springer - www.springer.com; Surgical Endoscopy - http://www.springerlink.com/content/0930-2794/)

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Youngki Hong, Dept. of Surgery, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, South Korea. Additional authors for this research include Yeajin Moon, Hyun Jung Kim, Seun Ja Park, Hyo Seon Ryu, Jung-Myun Kwak, Seung Hun Lee and Jae Hyun Kim.

The publisher of the journal Surgical Endoscopy can be contacted at: Springer, One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, Ny, United States.

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