Key clinical point: Delaying surgery after completing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) could be a risk factor for worse outcomes in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer with poor or no pathological response to preoperative CRT.
Major finding: A longer vs. shorter waiting period between surgery and end of CRT was associated with worse overall survival (5 years: 67.6% vs 80.3%; 10 years: 40.1% vs 57.8%; P < .001) and disease-free survival (5 years: 59.6% vs 72.0%; 10 years: 36.2% vs 53.9%; P < .001).
Study details: Findings are from a retrospective analysis of 1,064 patients who underwent CRT and surgery for locally advanced rectal cancer and showed partial or no pathological response to neoadjuvant CRT. Wait time between CRT completion and colorectal surgery categorized patients into shorter (8 weeks or less; n=579) or longer (greater than 8 weeks; n=485) interval groups.
Disclosures: The study did not declare any source of funding. No conflict of interests was reported.
Source: Deidda S et al. JAMA Surg. 2021 Sep 29. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.4566 .