Efficacy and safety of the “watch-and-wait” approach for rectal cancer with clinical complete response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: a meta-analysis

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuan Zhang ◽  
Rong Ding ◽  
JinSha Li ◽  
Tao Wu ◽  
ZhengHai Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rectal Cancer ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy ◽  
Complete Response ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Watch And Wait ◽  
Clinical Complete Response

scholarly journals The watch-and-wait strategy versus surgical resection for rectal cancer patients with a clinical complete response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiao-xuan Wang ◽  
Rong Zhang ◽  
Wei-wei Xiao ◽  
Shu Zhang ◽  
Ming-biao Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rectal Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Surgical Resection ◽  
Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy ◽  
Radical Resection ◽  
Complete Response ◽  
Sphincter Preservation ◽  
Watch And Wait ◽  
Free Survival ◽  
Clinical Complete Response

Abstract Background The watch-and-wait strategy offers a non-invasive therapeutic alternative for rectal cancer patients who have achieved a clinical complete response (cCR) after chemoradiotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the long-term clinical outcomes of this strategy in comparation to surgical resection. Methods Stage II/III rectal adenocarcinoma patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and achieved a cCR were selected from the databases of three centers. cCR was evaluated by findings from digital rectal examination, colonoscopy, and radiographic images. Patients in whom the watch-and-wait strategy was adopted were matched with patients who underwent radical resection through 1:1 propensity score matching analyses. Survival was calculated and compared in the two groups using the Kaplan–Meier method with the log rank test. Results A total of 117 patients in whom the watch-and-wait strategy was adopted were matched with 354 patients who underwent radical resection. After matching, there were 94 patients in each group, and no significant differences in term of age, sex, T stage, N stage or tumor location were observed between the two groups. The median follow-up time was 38.2 months. Patients in whom the watch-and-wait strategy was adopted exhibited a higher rate of local recurrences (14.9% vs. 1.1%), but most (85.7%) were salvageable. Three-year non-regrowth local recurrence-free survival was comparable between the two groups (98% vs. 98%, P = 0.506), but the watch-and-wait group presented an obvious advantage in terms of sphincter preservation, especially in patients with a tumor located within 3 cm of the anal verge (89.7% vs. 41.2%, P < 0.001). Three-year distant metastasis-free survival (88% in the watch-and-wait group vs. 89% in the surgical group, P = 0.874), 3-year disease-specific survival (99% vs. 96%, P = 0.643) and overall survival (99% vs. 96%, P = 0.905) were also comparable between the two groups, although a higher rate (35.7%) of distant metastases was observed in patients who exhibited local regrowth in the watch-and-wait group. Conclusion The watch-and-wait strategy was safe, with similar survival outcomes but a superior sphincter preservation rate as compared to surgery in rectal cancer patients achieving a cCR after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, and could be offered as a promising conservative alternative to invasive radical surgery.

Oncological and Survival Outcomes in Watch and Wait Patients With a Clinical Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Rectal Cancer

2018 ◽  
Vol 268 (6) ◽  
pp. 955-967 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mit Dattani ◽  
Richard J. Heald ◽  
Ghaleb Goussous ◽  
Jack Broadhurst ◽  
Guilherme P. São Julião ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rectal Cancer ◽  
Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy ◽  
Complete Response ◽  
Survival Outcomes ◽  
Watch And Wait ◽  
Clinical Complete Response

scholarly journals Avoiding Unnecessary Major Rectal Cancer Surgery by Implementing Structural Restaging and a Watch-and-Wait Strategy After Neoadjuvant Radiochemotherapy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Huisman ◽  
I. J. H. Schoenaker ◽  
R. M. Brohet ◽  
O. Reerink ◽  
H. van der Sluis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rectal Cancer ◽  
Locally Advanced ◽  
Pathologic Complete Response ◽  
Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy ◽  
Complete Response ◽  
Advanced Rectal Cancer ◽  
Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer ◽  
Response Evaluation ◽  
Watch And Wait ◽  
Time To Event

Abstract Background Pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) is found in 15–20% of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. A watch-and-wait (W&W) strategy has been introduced as an alternative strategy to avoid surgery for selected patients with a clinical complete response at multidisciplinary response evaluation. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the multidisciplinary response evaluation by comparing the proportion of patients with pCR since the introduction of the structural response evaluation with the period before response evaluation. Methods This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent nCRT between January 2009 and May 2018, categorizing them into cohort A (period 2009–2015) and cohort B (period 2015–2018). The patients in cohort B underwent structural multidisciplinary response evaluation with the option of the W&W strategy. Proportion of pCR (ypT0N0), time-to-event (pCR) analysis, and stoma-free survival were evaluated in both cohorts. Results Of the 259 patients in the study, 21 (18.4%) in cohort A and in 8 (8.7%) in cohort B had pCR (p = 0.043). Time-to-event analysis demonstrated a significant pCR decline in cohort B (p < 0.001). The stoma-free patient rate was 24% higher in cohort B (p < 0.001). Conclusion Multidisciplinary clinical response evaluation after nCRT for locally advanced rectal cancer led to a significant decrease in unnecessary surgery for the patients with a complete response.

scholarly journals Addition of Platinum Derivatives to Fluoropyrimidine-Based Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Stage II/III Rectal Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 111 (9) ◽  
pp. 887-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix J Hüttner ◽  
Pascal Probst ◽  
Eva Kalkum ◽  
Matthes Hackbusch ◽  
Katrin Jensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rectal Cancer ◽  
Pathological Complete Response ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy ◽  
Disease Free Survival ◽  
Complete Response ◽  
Distant Recurrence ◽  
Stage Ii ◽  
Free Survival ◽  
Disease Free

Abstract Background Current guidelines recommend neoadjuvant therapy for patients with stage II or III rectal cancer. The addition of platinum derivatives to fluoropyrimidine-based chemoradiotherapy has been frequently investigated, but their role in this setting remains controversial. Methods PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were systematically searched for randomized trials comparing chemoradiotherapy with or without platinum agents in stage II or III rectal cancer. Main outcome parameters were overall and disease-free survival, additional outcomes included pathological complete response, isolated local recurrence, distant recurrence, toxicity, and perioperative morbidity. Time-to-event data were pooled as hazard ratios (HRs) by the inverse variance method and binary outcomes as odds ratios (ORs) by the Peto method with their respective 95% confidence interval (CI). All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Ten randomized controlled trials with data on 5599 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Platinum derivatives did not statistically significantly improve overall survival (HR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.82 to 1.05, P = .23), disease-free survival (HR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.83 to 1.01, P = .07), or local recurrence (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.66 to 1.05, P = .12). However, it led to a statistically significant increase of pathological complete response (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.10 to 1.55, P = .002) and a statistically significant reduction of distant recurrence (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.66 to 0.92, P = .004). Benefits were accompanied by higher rates of grade 3 or 4 toxicities. Conclusions Intensified neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with the addition of platinum derivatives cannot be recommended routinely because it did not improve overall or disease-free survival and was associated with increased toxicity. It needs to be elucidated whether the benefits in distant recurrence and pathological complete response may be advantageous for selected high-risk patients.

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