A clinical trial to evaluate the worth of preoperative multimodality therapy in patients with operable carcinoma of the rectum

Abstract

These data do suggest that the preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy regimen used are, at least, as safe and tolerable as standard postoperative treatment. There is presently a trend to tumor downstaging and sphincter preservation in the preoperative arm. Whether this arm will have greater or lesser survival and long-term toxicity awaits the completion of this relevant study.