Total neoadjuvant therapy shows promising results for rectal cancer

Comprehensive analysis of 311 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer revealed a 26.4% pathological complete response rate and significant downstaging in 75.2% of cases. At a median follow-up of 36 months, local and distant recurrence rates were 5.7% and 12.5%, respectively. The five-year cancer-specific survival and disease-free survival rates reached 88.8% and 80.5%, with downstaged patients showing remarkably better outcomes. Total neoadjuvant therapy followed by total mesorectal excision demonstrates robust efficacy.