Nonsurgical Options for Early Rectal Cancer Continue to Show Promise
(MedPage Today) -- Almost 80% of patients with early-stage rectal cancer remained surgery-free for a year or longer after treatment with chemoradiation therapy (CRT), a large randomized study showed. Among 341 patients who chose not to have upfront...
A recent study has shown that nearly 80% of patients with early-stage rectal cancer remained free of surgery-related complications for at least one year after undergoing chemoradiation therapy (CRT). The STAR-TREC trial, led by Simon Bach, MD from University College London, focused on 341 patients who opted against immediate surgery, comparing CRT to short course radiotherapy (RT) alone.
The results indicated that 78.5% of patients randomized to CRT remained TME-free at 12 months, while 60% of those on RT alone achieved the same outcome. Both methods demonstrated low rates of adverse events, as reported in Lancet Oncology. While the study's findings are still preliminary, they support the use of response-adapted organ-preservation strategies, suggesting improved 12-month outcomes with CRT.
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