title: An interval >7 weeks between neoadjuvant therapy and surgery improves pathologic complete response and disease-free survival in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We assessed whether the time interval between neoadjuvant therapy and surgery affects the operative and postoperative morbidity and mortality, the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate, and disease recurrence in locally advanced rectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred and thirty-two patients with locally advanced low- and mid-rectal cancer underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by radical resection (October 2000 to December 2006). Data on the neoadjuvant regime, neoadjuvant-surgery interval, final pathology, type of operation, operative time, intraoperative blood transfusions, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, disease recurrence, and mortality were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the neoadjuvant-surgery interval: </=7 weeks (group A, n = 48), and >7 weeks (group B, n = 84).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The groups were demographically comparable except for the group A patients being younger at operation. The median interval between chemoradiation and surgery was 56 days (range 13-173 days). Thirty-seven patients (28%) had a pCR and near pCR. Fifty three patients (40%) had complications. There was no in-hospital mortality. Surgery type, operative time, number of intraoperative blood transfusions, postoperative complications, and length of hospitalization were not influenced by the interval length. The pCR and near pCR rates were higher with longer interval: 17% in group A, 35% in group B (P = 0.03). Patients operated at an interval >7 weeks had significantly better disease-free survival (P = 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A neoadjuvant-surgery interval >7 weeks was associated with higher rates of pCR and near pCR, decreased recurrence and improved disease-free survival.
authors.affiliation: Proctology Unit, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. hagitt@tasmc.health.gov.il
authors.forename: Hagit
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tulchinsky
authors.forename: Einat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shmueli
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figer
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Klausner
authors.forename: Micha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rabau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome