Impression of prognosis regarding pathologic stage after preoperative chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer

AIM: to ascertain pathologic stage as a prognostic indicator for rectal cancer patients receiving preoperative chemoradiotherapy (PCRT). METHODS: Patients with mid-and low rectal carcinoma (magnetic resonance imaging - based clinical stage II or III) between 2000 and 2009 and treated with curative radical resection were identified. Patients were divided into two groups: PCRT and No-PCRT. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was examined according to pathologic stage and addition of adjuvant treatment. RESULTS: Overall, 894 patients were identified. Of these, 500 patients received PCRT. Adjuvant chemotherapy was delivered to 81.5% of the No-PCRT and 94.8% of the PCRT patients. Adjuvant radiotherapy was given to 29.4% of the patients in the No PCRT group. The 5-year RFS for the No-PCRT group was 92.6% for Stage I, 83.3% for Stage II, and 72.9% for Stage III. The 5-year RFS for the PCRT group was 95.2% for yp Stage 0, 91.7% for yp Stage I, 73.9% for yp Stage II, and 50.7% for yp Stage III. CONCLUSION: Pathologic stage can predict prognosis in PCRT patients. Five-year RFS is significantly lower among PCRT patients than No-PCRT patients in pathologic stage II and III. These results should be taken into account when considering adjuvant treatment for patients treated with PCRT.