The study was a prospective randomised trial that asked the question if locally advanced rectal cancer can be treated with chemotherapy and selective radiation rather than routine radiation.

What was the design of the study?

It was a prospective randomised trial, a 1:1 randomisation. Patients received either standard treatment, which was chemoradiation, rectal surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy, and in the experimental arm they received chemotherapy and they only received radiation if they did not respond to the chemotherapy. Patients went on to have surgery and additional chemotherapy afterwards.

What did you find?

The results showed us that in the experimental group where they had selective radiation, the patients did as well as if they all had radiation. So that tells us that we don’t necessarily have to use radiation for locally advanced rectal cancers that met the inclusion criteria of the study.

How do you think these results can impact the future treatment of rectal cancer?

I do think the results have a big impact in the treatment of rectal cancer. Patients now have a choice of how they want to be treated for rectal cancer. There is an option to use selective radiation, potentially avoid radiation in many patients.