A new study found a "wait and see" policy instead of surgery for rectal cancer is an effective treatment for patients with clinical complete response after chemoradiotherapy treatment, according to findings published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Researchers looked at 21 patients with clinical complete response and 20 patients with pathological complete response. Patients with a clinical complete response have no residual tumor based on imaging and endoscopy. Patients with a pathological complete response are disease-free based on pathological testing.
After follow-up, one patient in the clinical complete response group had a recurrence and 20 patients were disease-free. Researchers estimated the two-year disease-free survival and overall survival rate of patients in the pathological complete response group at 93 and 91 percents respectively. They concluded that a "wait and see" policy for patient with clinical complete response results in outcomes as good as those of patients with pathological complete response after surgery.
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Researchers looked at 21 patients with clinical complete response and 20 patients with pathological complete response. Patients with a clinical complete response have no residual tumor based on imaging and endoscopy. Patients with a pathological complete response are disease-free based on pathological testing.
After follow-up, one patient in the clinical complete response group had a recurrence and 20 patients were disease-free. Researchers estimated the two-year disease-free survival and overall survival rate of patients in the pathological complete response group at 93 and 91 percents respectively. They concluded that a "wait and see" policy for patient with clinical complete response results in outcomes as good as those of patients with pathological complete response after surgery.
Related Articles on Colorectal Cancer Screening:
Study: Backward Glance Increases Adenoma Detection by 40.7%
Study: Bowel Screening Reduces Bowel Cancer Deaths by 27%
Commentary: Colonoscopy Might Be Going Too Far