Neoadjuvant Therapy and Anastomotic Leak After Tumor-Specific Mesorectal Excision for Rectal Cancer

Significant predictors of anastomotic leak include smoking, difficult anastomosis, and level of anastomosis (<or=4 cm). Neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy was not found to be significantly associated with leakage after tumor-specific mesorectal excision for rectal cancer.