[Current status in the treatment of rectal cancer in the Czech Republic regarding the rate of complete pathological response after neoadjuvant therapy--PATOD C20 study 2011-2012].

Introduction: Deciding on the strategy in rectal cancer´s treatment requires a complex and multidisciplinary approach. The primary rectal resection is indicated in early stages, while locally advanced tumors should be pretreated by one of the modes of neoadjuvant (chemo) radiotherapy. The main goal of this study was to explore the therapeutic strategy in patients with rectal cancer in the Czech Republic. The second aim was to determine the incidence of the pathological complete response after neoadjuvant therapy.

Methods: This is a retrospective multicenter clinical study, which includes data from all patients with rectal cancer who were treated at participating centers in the period from 01/01/2011 to 31/12/2012. The required data has been passed into the online registry PATOD C20.Three issues have been set up: 1. Characteristics of the center and cooperation with the oncological department; 2. Characteristics of the treatment of patients with rectal cancer; and 3. Detailed analysis of the group of patients with complete pathological response. The analysis was performed with regard to the nature of individual departments, i.e. departments of surgery in university hospitals with complex oncological centres, departments of surgery within complex oncologic centers, and departments of surgery outside complex oncologic centers.

Results: In total, 21 departments of surgery in the Czech Republic provided data about 1860 patients with rectal cancer for the study. The treatment strategy for rectal cancer was determined at multidisciplinary seminars at 19 centers (90.5%). Statistically significant differences between the centers were found in the indication for neoadjuvant treatment (p<0.001), rectal resection with anastomosis (p=0.048), and resection without anastomosis (p=0.022). Complete pathological response was found in 61 (8.7%) patients. Positivity of mesorectal lymph nodes (ypN+) was found in the case of ypT0 stage in 7 (9.7%) patients.

Conclusion: PATOD study showed that therapy of rectal cancer is highly heterogeneous in the Czech Republic. Despite the best conditions provided, university hospitals and large departments within complex oncologic centers do not fully utilize this benefit.