[Peri-operative treatments for rectal cancer]

Depending on its location or stage, rectal cancer may differ significantly. Before any treatment decision a careful work up is mandatory relying mainly on endoscopy and imaging (MRI). Surgery according to the TME principle is the cornerstone of treatment. Most of the time surgery is associated with external beam radiotherapy often combined with concurrent chemotherapy (capecitabine) according to the neoadjuvant regimen CAP 50 (5 weeks long). It is sometimes possible to escalate safely the dose of irradiation using contact X-ray brachytherapy 50 Kv or Iridium 192 interstitial brachytherapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy may be given in case of pejorative pathological findings but its benefit is not yet proven in contrast with colon cancer. Local recurrences are becoming unusual as is permanent APE surgery with permanent stoma. To reduce the risk of distant metastasis clinical trials are testing first line chemotherapy in T3-4 lesions. For early stage (T2-"small" T3) clinical trials try to achieve organ preservation. Intensification of CAP 50 either with more chemotherapy or radiation dose escalation using contact X-ray aim at achieving a clinical complete response followed by local excision or close surveillance.