Initial results of a randomized controlled trial comparing clinical and pathological downstaging of rectal cancer after preoperative short‐course radiotherapy or long‐term chemoradiotherapy, both with delayed surgery

Abstract

Long-course preoperative chemoradiation resulted in greater statistically significant tumour downsizing and downstaging compared with short-term radiation, but there was no difference in the R0 resection rates. Similar postoperative morbidity was observed in each group.