Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2025

Competing-Risk Nomogram for Predicting Cancer-Specific Survival in Multiple Primary Colorectal Cancer Patients after Surgery
Published on: September 27, 2024
Short-course versus long-course neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with rectal cancer: long-term results of a
Mahdi Aghili1,2, Mohammad-Mahdi Aghaei1, Romina Abyaneh1
1Radiation Oncology Research Center, Cancer Research Institute, IKHC, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Background And Purpose:
Short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) and long-course radiotherapy (LCRT) are the primary neoadjuvant radiotherapy schedules for locally advanced rectal cancer. Recent research has questioned the efficacy of SCRT. This study presents an updated analysis of our previous research, extending the follow-up to evaluate 5-year outcomes by comparing the long-term results of these two strategies.
Materials And Methods:
This randomized controlled trial compared SCRT and LCRT in locally advanced middle or high rectal adenocarcinoma. The SCRT group received 25 Gy/5 fractions over 1 week plus CAPOX, while the LCRT group received 50-50.4 Gy/25-28 fractions over 5-5.5 weeks plus capecitabine. All patients received consolidation chemotherapy and then underwent delayed surgery after 8 weeks or more post-radiotherapy. The endpoints of this updated analysis include overall survival (OS),disease-free survival (DFS), locoregional recurrence (LR) and distant metastasis (DM).
Results:
Ninety-nine cases (45 LCRT, 54 SCRT) were followed for a median of 4.7 years. Five-year OS rates were 77.3% for LCRT vs. 65.6% for SCRT group (P = 0.4). The 5-year DFS rates were 69.6% for LCRT vs. 54.9% for SCRT (P = 0.07). Cox regression indicated no prominent difference between the two groups regarding OS, LR, or DM. Subgroup analysis demonstrated a significantly better DFS with LCRT compared to SCRT in male patients ([HR] = 2.48, 95%CI: 1.04-5.93, P = 0.03), patients under the age of 60 (HR = 3.19, 95%CI: 1.03-9.92, P = 0.04), and cT4 patients (HR not calculated: no events in LCRT group, P = 0.004).
Conclusion:
DFS showed a trend in favor of the LCRT group, with LCRT being significantly superior among men, patients under 60, and cT4 stage. Despite being intensified, SCRT failed to achieve long-term outcomes comparable to LCRT. Further research is needed to compare these two approaches in the context of total neoadjuvant treatment.
Trial Registration Data:
IRCT2017110424266N3 (Registration date: 2017-11-12). https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/trial/20526 .
More Related Videos
12:45Robot-assisted Total Mesorectal Excision and Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for Locally Advanced Middle-low Rectal Cancer
Published on: February 12, 2022
04:04Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Intratumoral Injection of Cisplatin for the Treatment of Isolated Mediastinal Recurrence of Lung Cancer
Published on: February 12, 2017