Optimal interval for surgery after neoadjuvant therapy improves outcomes

A retrospective cohort study of 226 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer revealed that a 9-11 week interval between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery significantly increases the rates of pathological complete response (pcr). Analysis indicated that 10.5 weeks is optimal for maximizing pcr probabilities without raising postoperative risks. Multivariate logistic regression confirmed that this surgery interval is a significant predictor of pcr, allowing for improved treatment outcomes without additional complications.