Importance of local peritoneal involvement on the prognosis of colon cancer

Abstract

Background: The implication of serous infiltration, as well as peritoneal invasion with free cells in the prognosis of colorectal cancer highlights the need to evaluate and validate diagnostic methods, allowing preoperative detection of peritoneal carcinomatosis and/or the invasion of serosal layer (pT4a). The implication of serous infiltration, as well as peritoneal invasion with free cells in the prognosis of colorectal cancer highlights the need to evaluate and validate diagnostic methods, allowing preoperative detection of peritoneal carcinomatosis and/or the invasion of serosal layer (pT4a). The objective of the study was to determine whether the peritoneal involvement (evaluated by Shepherd classification; Grade 1: Absence of peritoneal invasion, Grade 2: Peritoneal surface affected by peritumoral inflammatory infiltrate but without signs of invasion by neoplastic cells, Grade 3: Infiltration of the visceral peritoneal layer by tumor cells and Grade 4: Ulceration of the serous peritoneal surface and/or free tumor cells on the peritoneal surface) is a prognostic factor in patients with pT3 or pT4 colon cancer.