Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients With Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Multicenter Propensity Score-matched Analysis.

Abstract

The effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is not fully understood. This study aimed to identify outcomes following NAC plus AC for LARC. We reviewed 252 patients who underwent curative resection for LARC. Propensity score matching matched 51 patients in NAC and non-NAC groups. Operative time (443 min vs. 286 min, p<0.001), blood loss (279 ml vs. 124 ml p<0.001), and number of patients who received AC were higher in the NAC group (74.5% vs. 33.3%, p<0.001). The Disease control rate of NAC group was 98.1%. The NAC group showed better 3-year RFS (86.5% vs. 62.1%, p=0.021). Patients who received both NAC and AC displayed better 3-year RFS (90.2%) compared to the non-NAC group both with (63.8%) and without (60.4%) AC (p<0.05). NAC and AC for LARC have the potential to improve oncological outcomes.