Counterpoint: long-course chemoradiation is preferable in the neoadjuvant treatment of rectal cancer.

Abstract

There are 2 approaches to preoperative therapy. Short-course (25 Gy in 5 fractions) radiation and long-course (50.4 Gy in 28 fractions) radiation combined with chemotherapy (CMT). Although short-course radiation therapy is used in some European countries, it is not favored in all European countries or North America. Unlike long-course CMT, it cannot be safely combined with adequate doses of systemic concurrent chemotherapy, and, as currently designed, it does not increase sphincter preservation. Long-course CMT remains the preferred regimen for cT3 and/or node-positive disease. With parallel advances in staging, surgery, systemic therapy, and molecular markers, more selective approaches are being investigated.