Induction chemoradiation for rectal cancer

Objective: To review the application, outcome, and recent developments of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy with respect. to rectal cancer. Data Sources and Study Selection: Articles written in English after 1980 selected from MEDLINE and PubMed from the National Library of Medicine. Case reports were excluded. There were no other criteria for exclusion of published information pertaining to this topic. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Articles were obtained and organized from MEDLINE and PubMed as well as the reference lists of pertinent literature. Conclusions: Published reports have demonstrated that neoadjuvant chemoradiation improves survival and decreases local recurrence in patients with stage II and III rectal cancers. It is anticipated that advances and technical developments in both chemotherapy and radiation therapy will lead to improved oncologic results with decreased toxic side effects.