The latest CREST® Weekly Curriculum module, Neoadjuvant Therapy for Rectal Cancer, is now available! The module on neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer focuses on the utilization of chemoradiation therapy in the overall treatment of patients with rectal cancer. It discusses the introduction of radiation therapy, the importance of the quality of surgery and prospective randomized clinical trials that have helped to formulate the current regimens that are now being used. As we learn more about the behavior of rectal cancer and modes of success and failure of treatment, tailored regimens are being developed and trialed for effectiveness. Therefore, future directions of neoadjuvant therapy regimens are also addressed.
Objectives:
- Describe the impact and benefits of neoadjuvant radiation therapy – both long and short course.
- Explain the impact of the addition of chemotherapy to neoadjuvant therapy.
- Recognize when rectal cancer should be treated with surgery alone.
- Describe the indication for the various neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy regimens for the management of rectal cancer.
CREST® Weekly Curriculum modules are free to members. To access, log in at the top of this page, click on MY ACCOUNT, then follow the link to the CREST® Online Learning Center. Not a member of ASCRS? Learn more about the benefits of membership in the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.