[Rectal cancer : Is the era for de-escalation arrived?]

Rectal cancer: is the era for de-escalation arrived? The reference treatment of rectal cancer relies on carcinologic resection including total mesorectal excision. In patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (cT3T4 and/or cN+), preoperative treatment is used to improve outcome and includes radiochemotherapy to optimize local control and systemic chemotherapy to decrease metastatic recurrence. The combination of these treatments with rectal cancer surgery induces short term and long-term toxicities potentially leading to treatment related sequelae on digestive and genitourinary function. Lastly, time is coming for de-escalation for the treatment to rectal cancer. For patients with small tumors (cT2T3 inférieur 4 cm) who respond to radiochemotherapy, organ preservation avoiding rectal resection can be discussed. In patients with locally advanced resectable rectal cancer, preoperative chemotherapy without pelvic irradiation could be used before total mesorectal excision to decrease the risk of long-term side effects. In patients with more advanced, primarily non resectable rectal cancer, a tailored strategy based on tumor response to chemotherapy could be used to rationalize the use of preoperative irradiation. New treatment strategies are constantly proposed and the optimal treatment option should be decided on a per patient basis during multidisciplinary discussion.