Short-term preoperative radiotherapy reduces the risk of local recurrence in patients with rectal cancer who undergo a standardized total mesorectal excision.

Short-course radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy before total mesorectal excision (TME) versus preoperative chemoradiotherapy, TME, and optional adjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer (RAPIDO) RAPIDO collaborative investigators; Bahadoer

Although preoperative short-term radiotherapy for rectal cancer results in increased local control, there is more long-term bowel dysfunction in irradiated patients than in patients who undergo TME alone. Rectal cancer patients should be informed on late morbidity of both radiotherapy and TME. Future strategies should be aimed at selecting patients for radiotherapy who are at high risk for local failure.

Placement of one or more pelvic drains after TME may limit the consequences of anastomotic failure. The clinical decision to construct a defunctioning stoma is supported by this study.

Dutch Colorectal Cancer group, CKTO 2003-16, ISRCTN36266738.

No abstract

Preoperative hypofractionated RT is a safe procedure in patients treated with TME surgery, despite a slight increase in complications when compared with TME surgery only.

No abstract