Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33280266›Full record

Trial reportCancer medicine2021

Return to work following laparoscopic-assisted resection or open resection for rectal cancer: Findings from AlaCaRT-Australasian Laparoscopic Cancer of the Rectum Trial.

Chi Kin Law, Kate Brewer, Chris Brown, Kate Wilson, Lisa Bailey, Wendy Hague, John R Simes, Andrew Stevenson, Michael Solomon, Rachael L Morton and 1 more

Abstract readClinical Trial, Phase IIIMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Cancer medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Social inequalities in return-to-work among colorectal cancer survivors in Germany.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  2. Labor Market Attachment 2 Years After Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Population-based Study.Annals of surgery open : perspectives of surgical history, education, and clinical approaches · 2022
    Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Chi Kin LawNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-2364-324X
Kate BrewerNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Chris BrownNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Kate WilsonNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Lisa BaileyNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Wendy HagueNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
John R SimesNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Andrew StevensonFaculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Herston, Qld, Australia.
Michael SolomonInstitute of Academic Surgery, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Rachael L MortonNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-7834-0572
Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group (AGITG) ALaCaRT investigators

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMaintaining employment for adults with cancer is important, however, little is known about the impact of surgery for rectal cancer on an individual's capacity to return to work (RTW). This study aimed to determine the impact of laparoscopic vs. open resection on RTW at 12 months.

methodsAnalyses were undertaken among participants randomized in the Australian Laparoscopic Cancer of the Rectum Trial (ALaCaRT), with work status available at baseline (presurgery), and 12 months. Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics estimated the effect of surgery on RTW in any capacity, or return to preoperative work status at 12 months.

resultsAbout 228 of 449 (51%) surviving trial participants at 12 months completed work status questionnaires; mean age was 62 years, 66% males, 117 of these received laparoscopic resection (51%). Of 228, 120 were employed at baseline (90 full-time, 30 part-time). Overall RTW in 120 participants in paid work at baseline was 78% (84% laparoscopic, 70% open surgery). Those employed full-time were more likely to RTW at 12 months (OR, 3.55; 95% CI, 1.02-12.31). Those with distant metastases at baseline were less likely to RTW (OR, 0.07; 95% CI, <0.01-0.83). Laparoscopic surgery was associated with a higher rate of RTW but did not reach statistical significance (OR 2.88; 95% CI, 0.95-8.76).

conclusionsFull-time work presurgery and the presence of metastatic disease predicts RTW status at 12 months. A laparoscopic-assisted surgical approach to rectal cancer may facilitate more patients to RTW, however, larger sample sizes are likely needed to confirm this result.

Indexed as

AgedEmploymentFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansLaparoscopyMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisProspective StudiesRectal NeoplasmsReturn to WorkSurveys and QuestionnairesSurvival Rateclinical trialincomelaparoscopyopen abdomen techniquesrectal neoplasmsreturn to worksocioeconomic factors

Identifiers

PMID33280266
PMCPMC7877361

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.