What does this research mean for the field?

Pathological complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer is independently associated with improved long-term disease-free survival, whereas its association with overall survival is attenuated after adjusting for baseline clinical characteristics. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess the association between pathological complete response following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and long-term survival outcomes in locally advanced rectal cancer.

August 29, 2026MedicinaOpen Access

Association of Pathological Complete Response with Long-Term Oncological Outcomes After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis of 327 Patients

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Authors

BSBerk SertözEge University KEKamil ErözkanCleveland Clinic RTRecep Temel

Discussion

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Implication

Retrospective cohort study demonstrates improved disease-free survival with pathological complete response in locally advanced rectal cancer, highlighting its independent prognostic value.

Key Points

To assess the association between pathological complete response following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and long-term survival outcomes in locally advanced rectal cancer.
Retrospective analysis of 327 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who received neoadjuvant long-course radiotherapy with concurrent capecitabine followed by surgery between 2006 and 2017.
Patients were stratified by the presence or absence of pathological complete response (pCR), and survival analyses evaluated 322 patients after excluding five early postoperative deaths.
Pathological complete response occurred in 14.4% (47/327) of patients and correlated with lower pretreatment clinical T stage (p = 0.033) and N stage (p = 0.049).
Five-year disease-free survival was 85.1% in the pCR group versus 61.5% in the non-pCR group (log-rank p = 0.008), maintaining statistical significance after multivariable adjustment (adjusted HR 0.542, 95% CI 0.296–0.994, p = 0.048).
Five-year overall survival was 91.5% for pCR versus 73.1% for non-pCR (log-rank p = 0.027), but the association lost statistical significance after multivariable adjustment (adjusted HR 0.575, 95% CI 0.305–1.083, p = 0.087).

Cite This Study

Sertöz et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9299ac8e5d7d1fc0c11ba5 https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62091639

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Implication

Retrospective cohort study demonstrates improved disease-free survival with pathological complete response in locally advanced rectal cancer, highlighting its independent prognostic value.

Association of Pathological Complete Response with Long-Term Oncological Outcomes After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis of 327 Patients

Discussion

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Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Association of Pathological Complete Response with Long-Term Oncological Outcomes After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis of 327 Patients

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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