Organ preservation with total neoadjuvant therapy in early‐stage rectal cancer: A statewide analysis

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Autores principales: Zachary Bunjo, Tracy Fitzsimmons, Thuy‐My Nguyen, Michael Penniment, Sudarshan Selva‐Nayagam, Darren Tonkin, Tiong Cheng Sia, Elizabeth Murphy, Michelle Thomas, Tarik Sammour
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Publicado: Wiley 2026
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author Zachary Bunjo
Tracy Fitzsimmons
Thuy‐My Nguyen
Michael Penniment
Sudarshan Selva‐Nayagam
Darren Tonkin
Tiong Cheng Sia
Elizabeth Murphy
Michelle Thomas
Tarik Sammour
author_facet Zachary Bunjo
Tracy Fitzsimmons
Thuy‐My Nguyen
Michael Penniment
Sudarshan Selva‐Nayagam
Darren Tonkin
Tiong Cheng Sia
Elizabeth Murphy
Michelle Thomas
Tarik Sammour
Zachary Bunjo
Tracy Fitzsimmons
Thuy‐My Nguyen
Michael Penniment
Sudarshan Selva‐Nayagam
Darren Tonkin
Tiong Cheng Sia
Elizabeth Murphy
Michelle Thomas
Tarik Sammour
collection Wiley Open Access
contents Organ preservation with total neoadjuvant therapy in early‐stage rectal cancer: A statewide analysis Zachary Bunjo Tracy Fitzsimmons Thuy‐My Nguyen Michael Penniment Sudarshan Selva‐Nayagam Darren Tonkin Tiong Cheng Sia Elizabeth Murphy Michelle Thomas Tarik Sammour Colorectal Disease Abstract Background The standard treatment for early‐stage (cT2‐3N0) rectal adenocarcinoma is upfront Total Mesorectal Excision (TME), but the desire for organ preservation has seen the increasing use of neoadjuvant therapy in these patients. Owing to its likely higher complete response rate, Total Neoadjuvant Therapy (TNT) is an attractive but understudied option. This study aimed to determine outcomes in patients with early‐stage rectal cancer undergoing TNT. Methods This was a retrospective study of patients with cT2‐3N0M0 rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent TNT instead of upfront surgery from 2019 to 2025 in South Australia. TNT comprised long‐course chemoradiotherapy followed by up to 8 cycles of FOLFOX or 6 cycles of CAPOX. Patients with cCR were offered watch and wait (W&W) surveillance. The outcomes of interest included cCR rate, regrowth rate, local and distant recurrences (LR and DR) and 3‐year survival. Results Thirty‐nine patients were included, with mean tumour distance 4 cm from the anal verge. The median follow‐up was 41 months (IQR 26–61) and 53.8% had completed at least 3 years of follow‐up. Thirty‐one patients (79.5%) achieved a cCR and proceeded to W&W. The regrowth rate was 16.1%; none experienced a LR and three had a DR. The 3‐year DFS in the overall cohort was 94.1% (95% CI 86.3%–100%) and all patients were alive up to 3 years of follow‐up. The rate of Grade 3 or higher chemotherapy‐related toxicity was 25.6% and there were no deaths. Conclusion Patients receiving TNT for early‐stage rectal cancer had a very high cCR rate and associated high organ preservation rate. This approach has potential quality of life advantages compared with surgery, with acceptable oncological and toxicity profiles. 10.1111/codi.70446 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
doi_str_mv 10.1111/codi.70446
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spellingShingle Organ preservation with total neoadjuvant therapy in early‐stage rectal cancer: A statewide analysis
Zachary Bunjo
Tracy Fitzsimmons
Thuy‐My Nguyen
Michael Penniment
Sudarshan Selva‐Nayagam
Darren Tonkin
Tiong Cheng Sia
Elizabeth Murphy
Michelle Thomas
Tarik Sammour
Colorectal Disease
Organ preservation with total neoadjuvant therapy in early‐stage rectal cancer: A statewide analysis Zachary Bunjo Tracy Fitzsimmons Thuy‐My Nguyen Michael Penniment Sudarshan Selva‐Nayagam Darren Tonkin Tiong Cheng Sia Elizabeth Murphy Michelle Thomas Tarik Sammour Colorectal Disease Abstract Background The standard treatment for early‐stage (cT2‐3N0) rectal adenocarcinoma is upfront Total Mesorectal Excision (TME), but the desire for organ preservation has seen the increasing use of neoadjuvant therapy in these patients. Owing to its likely higher complete response rate, Total Neoadjuvant Therapy (TNT) is an attractive but understudied option. This study aimed to determine outcomes in patients with early‐stage rectal cancer undergoing TNT. Methods This was a retrospective study of patients with cT2‐3N0M0 rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent TNT instead of upfront surgery from 2019 to 2025 in South Australia. TNT comprised long‐course chemoradiotherapy followed by up to 8 cycles of FOLFOX or 6 cycles of CAPOX. Patients with cCR were offered watch and wait (W&W) surveillance. The outcomes of interest included cCR rate, regrowth rate, local and distant recurrences (LR and DR) and 3‐year survival. Results Thirty‐nine patients were included, with mean tumour distance 4 cm from the anal verge. The median follow‐up was 41 months (IQR 26–61) and 53.8% had completed at least 3 years of follow‐up. Thirty‐one patients (79.5%) achieved a cCR and proceeded to W&W. The regrowth rate was 16.1%; none experienced a LR and three had a DR. The 3‐year DFS in the overall cohort was 94.1% (95% CI 86.3%–100%) and all patients were alive up to 3 years of follow‐up. The rate of Grade 3 or higher chemotherapy‐related toxicity was 25.6% and there were no deaths. Conclusion Patients receiving TNT for early‐stage rectal cancer had a very high cCR rate and associated high organ preservation rate. This approach has potential quality of life advantages compared with surgery, with acceptable oncological and toxicity profiles. 10.1111/codi.70446 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Organ preservation with total neoadjuvant therapy in early‐stage rectal cancer: A statewide analysis
topic Colorectal Disease
url https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/codi.70446