Choice of timing for radiotherapy and chemotherapy in patients with rectal cancer

Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor in the gastrointestinal tract, with an incidence rate second only to gastric cancer and esophageal cancer, and is the most common part of colorectal cancer. Rectal cancer is a lifestyle disease, and bad eating habits and lifestyle are the most direct causes of rectal cancer. Once rectal cancer is diagnosed, the correct choice of treatment plan during the treatment process is very important, which can directly affect the prognosis of the disease, especially the accurate time of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for rectal cancer patients is very important.

So how should patients with rectal cancer choose the timing of radiotherapy and chemotherapy?

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy for rectal cancer are divided into two stages: adjuvant therapy and neoadjuvant therapy. The so-called adjuvant therapy refers to radiotherapy and chemotherapy after rectal cancer surgery; the so-called neoadjuvant therapy is actually radiotherapy and chemotherapy before surgery.

Currently, for patients with rectal cancer whose tumors have penetrated the muscular layer or whose lymph nodes are positive, it is recommended to undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy before surgery. With the development of medicine, more and more doctors advocate the simultaneous treatment of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

In addition, for patients who have undergone rectal cancer surgery, if the lymph nodes are positive, it is recommended to undergo adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy after surgery. If there are no positive lymph nodes, but there are high-risk factors, such as the tumor has invaded the extraserosa, the number of lymph nodes cleared is less than 6, or there is vascular cancer thrombus, or the patient is relatively young, it is also recommended that he undergo adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy after surgery.