The surgical significance of residual mucosal abnormalities in rectal cancer following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy

Abstract

In this series, the majority of patients with a complete pathological response did not have a complete clinical response. In tumours downstaged to ypT0/1 after CRT, residual mucosal abnormalities were predominantly small and had a 2 per cent risk of positive nodes, thus potentially facilitating transanal excision. The presence of adverse histological characteristics risk stratified tumours for nodal metastases.