Adjuvant versus Neoadjuvant Radiochemotherapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer A Progress Report of a Phase-III Randomized Trial (Protocol CAO/ARO/AIO-94)

The standard treatment for patients with clinically resectable rectal cancer is surgery. Postoperative radiochemotherapy is recommended for patients with advanced disease (pT3/4 or pN+). In recent years, encouraging results of preoperative radiotherapy have been reported. This prospective randomized phase-III trial (CAO/ARO/AIO-94) compares the efficacy of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy to standard postoperative radiochemotherapy. We report on the design of the study and first results with regard to toxicity of radiochemotherapy and postoperative morbidity. Patients and Methods: Patients with locally advanced operable rectal cancer (uT3/4 or uN+, Mason CS III/IV) were randomly assigned to pr…