title: Impact of Time Interval Between Chemoradiation and Surgery on Pathological Complete Response and Survival in Rectal Cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited data are available regarding the impact of time duration between chemoradiation (CRT) and surgery on pathological complete response (PCR). A PCR translates into better overall and disease free survival. The objective of this study was to determine effect of time duration on outcome after preoperative CRT in rectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of patients undergoing operations for rectal adenocarcinoma between January 2005 and December 2010 was performed. Patients were divided in two groups: Group 1 underwent surgery in ≤ 8weeks post neoadjuvant CRT and Group 2 after 8 weeks. Patient characteristics, surgical procedure, histopathological details and number of loco-regional and distant failures were compared. Expected 5 year overall survival and disease free survival was calculated using Kaplan Meier curves and significance was determined using the log rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 66 patients in group 1 and 93 in group 2. No significant difference in PCR was observed between the two. However, estimated 5 year DFS was significantly higher in Group 1 (66.7%) as compared to Group 2 (53.8%) (P=0.04). Estimated overall 5 year overall survival was not significantly different at 68.2% versus 54.3% (P= 0.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Delaying surgery more than 8 weeks after preoperative CRT does not impact for PCR in rectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan E-mail : dr.aliakbar81@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akbar
authors.forename: Abu Bakar Hafeez
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.forename: Samiullah Khan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Niazi
authors.forename: Amir Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.forename: Shahid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khattak
authors.forename: Syed Hassan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Raza
authors.forename: Ather Saeed
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kazmi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy / Q000379:methods; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies