Table 4.
Studies evaluating short-course radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy in metastatic rectal cancers
| Characteristic | Van Dijk et al.[14] | Tyc-Szczepaniak et al.[15] | Yoon et al.[25] | Current TMH study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study type | Phase II, single arm | Phase II, single arm | Retrospective | Retrospective |
| Number of patients | 40 | 50 | 50 | 105 |
| ECOG PS (%) | ||||
| 0/1 | 27 (71) | 50 (100) | 50 (100) | 37 (35.3) |
| ≥2 | 11 (29) | 0 | 0 | 68 (64.7) |
| Sequence of treatment | RT >chemotherapy | RT >chemotherapy plus bevacizumab | Chemotherapy +/- targeted therapy>RT | RT >chemotherapy +/- targeted therapy |
| Systemic therapy regimen | Predominantly CAPOX | CAPOX plus bevacizumab | Predominantly FOLFOX with or without cetuximab/bevacizumab | Predominantly CAPOX with or without cetuximab/bevacizumab |
| Use of targeted therapy (%) | 0 | 50 (100) | 11 (22) | 29 (27.6) |
| Radiotherapy regimen | 5×5 Gy | 5×5 Gy | 5×5 Gy | 5×5 Gy |
| Resectability status of metastases at baseline | 100% unresectable | 100% resectable or potentially resectable | 70% curable 12% potentially curable 18% palliative | 36.2% potentially resectable 63.8% unresectable |
| Creation of stoma post-SCRT (%) | 8 (20) | - | - | 0 (n=71) |
| Curative resection of primary (%) | 0 | 36 (72) | 41 (82) | 24 (22.9) |
| 2 (year) OS (%) | 30 | 80 | 73.9 | 33.2 |
ECOG PS=Eastern oncology group performance status, RT=Radiotherapy, CAPOX=Capecitabine plus oxaliplatin, FOLFOX - 5=Fluorouracil plus oxaliplatin, OS=Overall survival, TMH=Tata memorial hospital, SCRT=Short-course radiotherapy