The role of preoperative staging, determining prognostic and therapeutic markers, objectivization of functional results in the decision on the strategy of treatment of the rectal cancer with the aim to improve oncological treatment results and the quality of life

The proposed project is designed in the way to encircle all efforts in improving functional and oncologic results of rectal cancer treatment. The results of the proposed research of carcinogenesis may help to better define the causes of malignant processes in the cell. We expect the new method of testing relying on digital images and excitation-emission spectra to allow non-invasive preoperative determination of tumor differentiation as a prognostic and strategic factor. We expect the accurate staging of the disease before surgery to induce alterations of the treatment and to improve results but also to indirectly improve functional results and quality of life. Among the others the objective is to determine the significance of chemo/radiotherapy. Exploration of treatment modalities is expected to identify predictive markers of response to chemotherapy. Treatment results can thus be significantly improved, toxic effects of therapy reduced and treatment costs moderated. We also expect to determine the prognostic significance of response to chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant approach as well as in metastatic cases, and to form a disease forecasting model that would include other parameters too in the treatment of peritoneal dissemination. We expect that more precise definition of indications for cytoreductive procedures and the usage of HIPEC therapy, as well as the definition of the optimal protocol, will improve treatment results.