Abstract

In the past two decades a series of multi-institution clinical trials have done much to define the role of multi-modality treatment in the management of rectal adenocarcinoma. These trialshave addressed a number of questions about sequencing of modalities, integration of radiation and chemotherapy, and radiation dose fractionation in the adjunctive management of patients undergoing extirpative surgery.Although the findings of large randomized trials have addressed important questions, there remain...