Preoperative Short-Course Chemoradiotherapy (SC CRT) with Delayed Surgery for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Single Center Experience

1. Abstract
1.1. Purpose: To evaluate tolerability and efficacy of preoperative SC CRT in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.
1.2. Materials and Methods: 94 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer were included in the study. The patients were treated with SC CRT: conformal radiotherapy with a total dose of 25 Gy in five fractions and chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil or capecitabine administered on the day of radiotherapy), followed at 11 weeks (average delay time) by surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil or capecitabine). Effects of therapy were followed by 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates.