title: Induction chemoradiation for rectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the application, outcome, and recent developments of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy with respect to rectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles written in English after 1980 selected from MEDLINE and PubMed from the National Library of Medicine. Case reports were excluded. There were no other criteria for exclusion of published information pertaining to this topic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles were obtained and organized from MEDLINE and PubMed as well as the reference lists of pertinent literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Published reports have demonstrated that neoadjuvant chemoradiation improves survival and decreases local recurrence in patients with stage II and III rectal cancers. It is anticipated that advances and technical developments in both chemotherapy and radiation therapy will lead to improved oncologic results with decreased toxic side effects.
authors.affiliation: Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galandiuk
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery