Risk Factors for Symptomatic Anastomotic Leakage After Low Anterior Resection for Rectal Cancer with 30 Gy/10 f/2 w Preoperative Radiotherapy

For patients with rectal cancer treated with preoperative radiotherapy and low anterior resection, the risk factors for anastomotic leakage are male gender, lack of defunctioning stoma, level of anastomosis < or =4 cm, and blood loss >200 ml. A defunctioning stoma can decrease the occurrence of symptomatic anastomotic leakage and should be routinely performed in all low anterior resections after 30 Gy/10 f/2 w preoperative radiotherapy.