Current Wisdom
•
Preoperative CRT better than postop
•
Improves Local recurrence but not DFS or OS
•
If CRM threatened on MRI needs response so
CRT
•
Low rectal cancers (below the levators) almost
always have threat to CRM
•
T1/T2N0 mid/upper rectum don’t usually
need RT or CRT unless to avoid radical
surgery
•
CRT helps preserve sphincters