When Should Preoperative Short-Course Radiotherapy or Long-Course Chemoradiotherapy Be Performed?

Traditionally, there has been a high local recurrence rate after radical surgery in rectal cancer, and 10–40% of patients require a permanent stoma. Both short-course preoperative radiotherapy (SCPRT) and long-course preoperative chemoradiation (CRT) are advocated to reduce this risk of local recurrence and enable a curative resection. The role of preoperative radiotherapy to facilitate sphincter sparing surgery remains highly contentious.