Short course radiotherapy with consolidation chemotherapy for rectal cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized trials

AIM: to study the effect of total neoadjuvant therapy with consolidation chemotherapy for rectal cancer.MATERIALS AND METHODS: the meta-analysis performed in accordance with PRISMA practices and guidelines.RESULTS: short-course radiotherapy with consolidation chemotherapy compared to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) improves the rate of complete pathological responses (OR = 1.88; CI 1.47–2.42; p < 0.00001); does not affect the rate of local relapses (OR = 0.95; CI 0.72–1.24; p = 0.69), three-year disease-free survival (OR = 1.19; CI 0.99–1.44; p = 0.06) and overall survival (OR = 1.09; CI 0.88–1.35; p = 0.45). TNT increases the incidence of grade ≥ 3 toxicity (OR = 1.87; CI 1.10–3.18; p = 0.02), and does not affect treatment compliance (OR = 0.57; CI 0.17–1.95; p = 0.37).CONCLUSION: the use of TNT can improve the oncological results of treatment of patients with rectal cancer by increasing the frequency of complete pathological responses.