Therapeutic Advances in Rectal Cancer.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Oncology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Inferior rectal cancer poses significant clinical challenges due to its location and treatment complexity.
• Despite advances in surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic treatments, optimizing patient outcomes remains crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current therapeutic advances in rectal cancer treatment.
• To highlight the need for personalized approaches and further research.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed using major scientific databases (Cochrane, PubMed, Scielo, ScienceDirect, Scopus).
• Search terms included "rectal neoplasms", "rectal cancer", and "therapeutics" or "treatments".

Main Results:

• Total neoadjuvant therapy is the standard for locally advanced rectal cancer, improving pathologic complete response and disease-free survival compared to conventional chemoradiotherapy.
• Minimally invasive surgery offers comparable oncologic outcomes with reduced morbidity.
• Emerging targeted agents and PD-1 blockade show promise for specific patient groups and organ preservation.

Conclusions:

• Current rectal cancer treatment strategies have advanced significantly, improving survival rates.
• Challenges persist in finding treatments that enhance both overall and disease-free survival without excessive patient morbidity.