title: Optimising treatment for resectable rectal cancer: is preoperative therapy beneficial?
abstract: Preoperative radiotherapy is becoming the standard of care for resectable locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the rectum. Its practice is no longer limited to a few specialised cancer centres. Adjuvant preoperative radiotherapy can reduce the risk of local recurrence by 50% compared with surgery alone and it has a moderate effect in improving survival. Treatment-related toxicity is superior to that after postoperative radiotherapy. Early results of preoperative radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy are promising, with a low toxicity profile and a high pathological response rate. Advances in technology, endorectal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging enable selection of appropriate patients for preoperative radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ngan
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*