Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Without Radiation for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Meta-analysis of Surgical Outcomes After Total Mesorectal Excision

Important surgical outcomes were not reported in trials comparing neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone to chemoradiation therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer. Based on the limited data available, chemotherapy alone was associated with reduced risk of anastomotic leak, diverting ostomy use, and ostomy nonreversal. See Video Abstract .