Narrative review reveals watch and wait strategy offers survival rates and quality of life benefits in rectal cancer management.
Key Points
Non-operative management can achieve oncologic outcomes similar to surgery for selected patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.
Watch and wait strategy shows overall and disease-free survival rates comparable to radical surgery when monitored effectively.
Local regrowth occurs in 15%–40% of cases, mainly within 24 months, but salvage surgery successfully restores oncologic equivalence.
Total neoadjuvant therapy increases clinical complete response rates, expanding eligibility for non-operative management with improved quality of life.