A modern regimen of pre-operative concurrent chemo-radiation therapy in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of preoperative concurrent capecitabine and radiotherapy in the treatment of resectable locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Materials And Methods: We conducted a phase II trial to assess pathological complete response, tumor downstaging, toxicity and survival of capecitabine (825 mg/m(2) orally, twice daily) with radiotherapy (50.4 Gy/28 fractions) in 31 patients with LARC (cT3/T4 or N+) staged by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS).