In what situations would you treat a rectal mass as cancer despite negative biopsies?
For example, if mass is ulcerated and cannot be excised with polypectomy? Would you ever consider radiation and chemotherapy?
Answer from: Medical Oncologist at Academic Institution
It is not uncommon to see a patient with rectal mass highly suspicious for malignancy by endoscopic evaluation but has a negative biopsy. Usually, this is due to superficial biopsy specimens.
In our clinic, we usually get repeated endoscopic evaluation with biopsy as our first step. However, a smal...
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Community Practice
Respectfully, "Never" is usually never the right answer, and that applies here. This is a good question and something we encounter at our GI tumor boards with some degree of regularity. Our approach is typically this:
Rebiopsy. Our surgeons are used to this request now and many times will indepen...