title: Surgical complications and pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant chemoradiation in locally advanced rectal cancer.
abstract: Pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CRT) in patients with rectal cancer is associated with improved prognosis, whereas postoperative surgical complications have been linked with poor oncologic outcomes. Our objective was to examine the association between  postoperative complications and pCR. We analyzed 127 patients enrolled in a prospective multicenter study investigating rectal cancer response to CRT. Surgical complications were scored according to the Clavien-Dindo scale (Grade 1 to 4). Among the 127 patients analyzed, 28 (22%) patients  had a pCR. In the pCR group, six surgical Grade 3+ complications occurred in five (18%) patients, including anastomotic leak (n = 2), ureteral injury (n = 2), pelvic abscess (n = 1), and pneumonia (n = 1). In the non-pCR group, there were 10 Grade 3+ complications in eight (8%) patients, including  severe obstruction (n = 1), postoperative hemorrhage (n = 1), leak (n = 2), pelvic abscess (n = 2), ureteral injury (n = 1), and severe morbidity (stroke, n = 1; acute respiratory distress, n = 1; and cardiac event, n = 1). There was no significant difference in the frequency of total surgical  complications between pCR and non-pCR patients; and no association was observed between pCR and major postoperative complications. In conclusion, postoperative complication rates do not differ between pCR and non-pCR groups. The occurrence of major postoperative complications is not associated  with response to neoadjuvant CRT.
authors: Department of Surgery, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010, USA.
authors: Marjun P
authors: MP
authors: Duldulao
authors: Wendy
authors: W
authors: Lee
authors: Maithao
authors: M
authors: Le
authors: Rebecca
authors: R
authors: Wiatrek
authors: Rebecca A
authors: RA
authors: Nelson
authors: Zhenbin
authors: Z
authors: Chen
authors: Wenyan
authors: W
authors: Li
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: Kim
authors: Julio
authors: J
authors: Garcia-Aguilar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D003082:Colectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D016896:Treatment Outcome