title: Rectal cancer treatment: improving the picture.
abstract: Multidisciplinary approach for rectal cancer treatment is currently well defined. Nevertheless, new and promising advances are enriching the portrait. Since the US NIH Consensus in the early 90's some new characters have been added. A bird's-eye view along the last decade shows the main milestones in the development of rectal cancer treatment protocols. New drugs, in combination with radiotherapy are being tested to increase response and tumor control outcomes. However, therapeutic intensity is often associated with toxicity. Thus, innovative strategies are needed to create a better-balanced therapeutic ratio. Molecular targeted therapies and improved technology for delivering radiotherapy respond to the need for accuracy and precision in rectal cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Clinica Universitaria, Universtity of Navarra, Avda. Pio XII, 36, Pamplona 31080, Spain. jadiaz@unav.es
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Diaz-Gonzalez
authors.forename: Leire
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arbea
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aristu
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*