Evaluating the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiation in the treatment of locally invasive rectal cancer

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiation in the treatment of locally invasive rectal cancer patients. Patients and methods: 31 patients of lower third rectal cancer at the stages of T3, T4. Results: Histological overall response rate was 90.3%, and complete response rate was 6.5%. The radical surgery rate was 80.7%, of which 12.9% was sphincter-conserving surgeries. The 3-year disease free survival rate was 78.1%. All the hematological and non hematological toxicities were at the grade 1 or 2 and tolerable. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant chemoradiation for lower third rectal cancer patients could improve the response rate, radical surgery, and sphincter-conserving surgery. This method was safe; all side effects and toxicities were low.