Complete clinical response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation in rectal cancers: can surgery be avoided?

Neoadjuvant chemoradiation for rectal cancers may result in complete clinical response (cCR) in some patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term outcomes of such patients in a tertiary cancer center.

Patients with rectal cancer who had a cCR to neoadjuvant chemoradiation were divided into two groups: Group A (n=23) did not undergo surgery, and Group B (n=10) underwent elective surgery. The recurrence patterns and survival outcomes were compared between the two groups.

After a median follow-up of 72 months (range 12-180), seven patients (30%) in Group A developed an isolated local recurrence. In Group B, after a median follow-up of 37 months (range 12-180) there were no local recurrences. The median disease-free and overall survival was 36 months (range 6-168) and 66 months (range 12-180) in Group A and 36 months (range 12-180) and 37 months (range 18-180) in Group B respectively.

Our results suggest that surgery could be avoided in selected patients with rectal cancer who have a cCR to neoadjuvant chemoradiation. However, until the safety of a non-surgical approach is proven in a prospective randomized trial, it cannot be recommended outside a clinical protocol study.