Computertomography-Based Prediction of Complete Response Following Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy of Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

Therapeutic strategies for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) who are achieving a pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant radio-chemotherapy (neoCRT) being increasingly investigated. Recent trials challenge the current standard therapy of total mesorectal excision (TME). For some patients, treatment strategy “watch-and-wait” seems preferable procedure. The key factor in determining individual following neoCRT is precise evaluation tumor response. Contrast-enhanced computer tomography (ceCT) has proven its ability to discriminate benign and malign lesions multiple cancers. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed ceCT based density LARC 30 undergoing followed by TME. We compared tumors´ pre- post-neoCRT correlated results amount residual vital cells resected tissue. Overall, decreased neoCRT, highest decrease pCR. Densitometry demonstrated specificity 88% sensitivity 68% predicting Thus, claim that densitometry useful tool identifying may benefit from suggest further prospective studies.