Eric Rullier

Clinical/research background

Eric Rullier is Head of the Department of Surgery and Chairman of Colorectal Surgery at Saint-Andre University Hospital in Bordeaux, France. He developed clinical research in rectal cancer surgery. His main topics are low rectal cancer, ultra-low sphincter preservation, mini invasive surgery and management of tumour response after neoadjuvant therapy. He demonstrated the oncologic safety of the technique of intersphincteric resection for very low rectal cancer and participated to the European development of laparoscopic surgery in rectal cancer. Eric Rullier also proposed a classification of low rectal cancer to standardize surgery and facilitate sphincter-saving surgery.

He founded in 2005 the French Surgical Group of Rectal Cancer Research (GRECCAR) with the objective of developing multi-centre national randomized trials, focusing on technical issues of TME surgery and innovative strategies in management of rectal cancer. In a 10-year period, 1500 patients have been included in seven trials. Subjects such as: local versus rectal excision in good responders after radiochemotherapy, to drain or not to drain after TME, tailoring management of rectal cancer depending on the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, prevention of colostomy hernia, role of increased time interval between radiotherapy and surgery, transanal versus transabdominal TME, role of TME in palliative surgery will be the contribution of the GRECCAR French group in rectal cancer research.

Eric Rullier is director of European workshops in laparoscopic colorectal surgery and organized laparoscopic TME courses. He is also an active member of the ESCP, working in the research board of the society. His scientific production includes more than 70 English publications and 300 conferences, all in rectal cancer surgery.

Relevant peer-reviewed publications

1. Laurent C, Leblanc F, Wütrich P, Scheffler M, Rullier E. Laparoscopic versus open surgery for rectal cancer: long term oncologic results. Ann Surg 2009;250:54-61.
2. Rullier A, Laurent C, Capdepont M, Vendrely V, Bioulac-Sage P, Rullier E. Impact of tumor response on survival in locally advanced rectal cancer. Am J Surg Pathol 2010;34:562-8.
3. Maggiori L, Rullier E, Meyer C, Portier G, Faucheron JL, Panis Y. Randomized controlled trial of pelvic calcium alginate following rectal cancer surgery. Br J Surg 2010;97:479-84.
4. Bretagnol F, Panis Y, Rullier E, Rouanet P, Berdah S, Dousset B, Portier G, Benoist S, Chipponi J, Vicaut E; French Research Group of Rectal Cancer Surgery (GRECCAR). Rectal cancer surgery with or without bowel preparation: The French GRECCAR III multicenter single-blinded randomized trial. Ann Surg 2010 Nov;252(5):863-8.
5. Denost Q, Laurent C, Capdepont M, Zerbib F, Rullier E. Risk factors for fecal incontinence after intersphincteric resection for rectal cancer. Dis Colon Rectum 2011;54:963-8.
6. Laurent C, Paumet T, Leblanc F, Denost Q, Rullier E. Intersphincteric resection for low rectal cancer: laparoscopic vs open surgery approach. Colorectal Dis 2012;14:35-41.
7. Patel UB, Brown G, Rutten H, West N, Sebag-Montefiore D, Glynne-Jones R, Rullier E, Peeters M, Van Cutsem E, Ricci S, Van de Velde C, Kjell P, Quirke P. Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging and histopathological response to chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer. Ann Surg Oncol. 2012;19:2842-52.
8. Denost Q, Laurent C, Paumet T, Quintane L, Martenot M, Rullier E. Laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer: preoperative radiochemotherapy versus surgery alone. Surg Endosc 2012;26:1878-83.
9. Rullier E, Denost Q, Vendrely V, Rullier A, Laurent C. Low Rectal cancer: Classification and Standardization of Surgery. Dis Colon Rectum 2013;56:560-567.
10. Denost Q, Adam JP, Rullier A, MD, Buscail E, Laurent C, Rullier E. Perineal transanal approach: a new standard for laparoscopic sphincter-saving resection in low rectal cancer, a randomized trial. Ann Surg 2014; June 19 (Epub ahead of print).

Information submitted for ESCP Barcelona 2014