1. The evolution of a concept : the total mesorectal excision story / R. J. Heald -- 2. Anatomy of the rectum, anal canal and pelvic floor / Thilo Wedel -- 3. Clinical ultrasound / Oliver Shihab, Arcot K. Venkatasubramaniam -- 4. Magnetic resonance imaging staging of rectal cancer / Peter How, Gina Brown -- 5. Radiological staging for systemic disease / Gina Brown, Chris Hunter 6. Preoperative radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer / Rob Glynne-Jones, Mark Harrison -- 7. Total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer / Brendan Moran -- 8. Abdominoperineal excision of the rectum / Torbjorn Holm -- 9. Laparoscopic surgery / Katharine E. Bevan, Tom D. Cecil -- 10. Robotic total mesorectal excision / M. Chadwick, H. S. Tilney, A. M. Gudgeon -- 11. Local excision and transanal endoscopic microsurgery / Wolfgang B. Gaertner, David A. Rothenberger -- 12. Pathology assessment / Philip Quirke, Tim Palmer, Gordon G. A. Hutchins, Nick P. West -- 13. Assessment and management of recurrence / Peter J. Lee, Kirk K. S. Austin, Michael J. Solomon -- 14. Lateral pelvic side-wall nodal involvement in rectal cancer / Hideaki Yano, Brendan Moran -- 15. Intestinal stoma and the role of defunctioning a low anastomosis after anterior resection / David Mitchell, Kandiah Chandrakumaran, Steven Arnold -- 16. Quality of life in patients undergoing abdominoperineal excision and anterior resection for rectal cancer / Peter How, Kandiah Chandrakumaran.