Association of Poor Differentiation or Positive Vertical Margin with Residual Disease in Patients with Subsequent Colectomy after Complete Macroscopic Endoscopic Resection of Early Colorectal Cancer

In the presence of unfavorable pathologic results after endoscopic resection of colorectal cancer, colectomy is routinely performed. We determined the risk factors for residual diseases in patients with colectomy after complete macroscopic endoscopic resection of early colorectal cancer. We identified consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic resection of early colorectal cancer and subsequently underwent colectomy, from January 2011 to December 2014. Clinicopathologic risk factors related to the residual disease were analyzed. In total, 148 patients underwent endoscopic resection and subsequent colectomy. Residual disease on colectomy was noted in 16 (10.9%) patients. The rates of poorly differentiated/mucinous histology (p = 0.028) and of positive or unknown vertical resection margin (p = 0.047) were higher in patients with residual disease than in those without. In multivariate analysis, a poorly differentiated/mucinous histology and positive or unknown vertical resection margin were significantly associated with residual disease (odds ratio = 7.508 and 2.048, p = 0.015 and 0.049, resp.). After complete macroscopic endoscopic resection of early colorectal cancer, there is a greater need for additional colectomy in cases with a positive or unknown vertical resection margin or a poorly differentiated/mucinous histology, because of their higher risk of residual cancer and lymph node metastasis.