Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) in early-stage rectal cancer

Aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of incidence worldwide. Thanks to colorectal cancer screening programs, early-stage colorectal cancers are detected more frequently. The aim of this study is to evaluate the short-term results of 19 TAMIS cases performed in our clinic. Methods: Data of 19 patients aged ?18 years who underwent TAMIS procedure due to rectal nonneoplastic and neoplastic polyps/ T1N0 cancers at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital between September 2020 and December 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. Preoperative and postoperative findings were reviewed. Results: Among the 19 patients, 7 (33.3%) were female, and 12 (66.7%) were male, with a mean age of 56.9 years. All patients underwent TAMIS without postoperative complications. Pathological results showed that 9 (47.4%) had neoplastic polyps (7 tubulovillous adenomas, 1 serrated adenoma, 1 adenocarcinoma), while 10 (52.6%) had non-neoplastic polyps. The patient with adenocarcinoma showed mucosal and submucosal invasion with a tumor base 1 mm from the margin. At the 3-month followup, rectoscopy revealed no pathological findings, only fibrosis. Conclusion: TAMIS is an effective method for selected cases of early-stage rectal cancer that are well-staged preoperatively, offering a low-morbidity alternative to more invasive surgical approaches. Since our cases do not have long-term follow-ups, a clearer judgment can be reached with the results of long-term follow-ups.