Elsevier, European Journal of Cancer - Supplement, 14(6), p. 70-73, 2008
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcsup.2008.06.001
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The management of locally advanced rectal cancers, although has remarkably improved in the last years, still remains a challenge. The results of recent European randomised trias have marked a paradigm shift from the postoperative to preoperative CRT approach. However, this approach do not impact on the occurrence of distant metastases, disease-free survival and overall survival, underlining the need for a more intensified approach. Moreover, the data of retrospective analysis have evidenced that an other critical point is the selection of patients for whom a risk-adapted pre and postoperative treatment should be delivered, considering that locally advanced rectal tumours are a widely heterogeneous group of tumours. Therefore, a refinements of a multimodality therapy by an integrated approach of a highly skilled multidisciplinary team is needed for a further improvement of clinical management.