Practical issues in adjuvant therapy for rectal cancer.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: While the standard adjuvant therapy for rectal cancer includes radiation therapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT), the optimal treatment combination and sequencing have yet to be determined. In recent years, a large number of clinical trials have been reported in this rapidly evolving field. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A review of pivotal trials in rectal cancer was undertaken with a focus on the important recent literature that has determined the current approach to adjuvant treatment. RESULTS: Multiple well-conducted, randomised studies have demonstrated that, for patients with stage II and III rectal cancer, the combination of adjuvant CT and RT reduces the risk of local recurrence (LR..