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Current Trends in the Rate of Rectal Cancer Restorative Operations in the Era of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation

  • Surgery and Surgical Innovations in Colorectal Cancer (S Huerta, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Colorectal Cancer Reports

Abstract

Purpose of Review

The following review addresses the relationship between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and the rate of restorative operations in patients with rectal cancer.

Recent Findings

The rate of restorative operations performed for rectal cancer has improved over the past several decades. The relationship between this increase and the addition of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy to the treatment regimen for locally advanced rectal cancer is still being defined. Improved rates of sphincter-sparing procedures between patients who receive preoperative chemoradiation compared to those who receive treatment postoperatively have not been supported in the literature. The patients who seem to benefit from neoadjuvant therapy in terms of sphincter preservation are those with distal tumors. Better tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and longer interval to surgical intervention appear to have little if any benefit to preserving the sphincter.

Summary

Increased rates of restorative operations for rectal cancer seem to be most significant among distal tumors. The reasons for the increase are likely multifactorial and include improvements in patient selection, surgical technique, imaging modalities, and patient care. The role of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in this setting remains equivocal.

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Abbreviations

NCRT:

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy

CRT:

Chemoradiotherapy

APR:

Abdominoperineal resection

LAR:

Low anterior resection

TME:

Total mesorectal excision

SSS:

Sphincter-sparing surgery

LARC:

Locally advanced rectal cancer

cCR:

Clinical complete response

pCR:

Pathologic complete response

CR:

Complete response

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA

    Holly B. Cunningham, Joshua J. Weis & Luis R. Taveras

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  1. Holly B. Cunningham
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  2. Joshua J. Weis
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Correspondence to Holly B. Cunningham.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Surgery and Surgical Innovations in Colorectal Cancer

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Cunningham, H.B., Weis, J.J. & Taveras, L.R. Current Trends in the Rate of Rectal Cancer Restorative Operations in the Era of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation. Curr Colorectal Cancer Rep 14, 31–36 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11888-018-0400-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11888-018-0400-2

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