Is management of rectal cancer using watch-and-wait approach feasible, safe, and effective in a publicly funded general hospital?

Abstract

Background: Whilst there is emerging evidence to suggest equivalent oncological outcomes using a Watch and Wait approach (WW) compared to primary total mesorectal excision (TME) surgery, there is a paucity of evidence about the safety and efficacy of this approach in routine clinical practice. This study reports long-term outcomes from patients managed with WW following a clinical complete response (cCR) to neo-adjuvant therapy and a matched cohort of surgically managed patients from two District General Hospitals.