. 2022 Jun 3;37(8):1426–1433. doi: 10.1111/jgh.15898

Table 1.

Characteristics of the studies included in the review

Authors	Study type	Study period	Inclusion criteria	Neoadjuvant therapy	Surgical procedure	Quality assessment
Lezoche et al. ²¹	RCT	1997–2004	cT2N0 < 3 cm, within 6 cm of a.v., G1–2, ASA I‐II	50.4 Gy + 5‐FU	TEM vs TME	3/5
Jawitz et al. ²²	Retro	2004–2015	cT2N0M0 rectal cancer, > 18 yo		TEM vs TME	16/24
Lee et al. ²³	Retro	2004–2014	cT2N0M0		TEM vs TME	16/24
Lynn et al. ²⁴	Retro	2006–2009 1996–1999	cT2N0 < 4 cm, involving < 40% rectal circum, within 8 cm of a.v., ECOG Performance Status ≤ 2; pT2N0M0 within 8 cm of a.v.	54 Gy, 50.4 Gy + CAPOX; Short‐course radiotherapy	TEM, TAE vs TME	18/24
Pericay et al. ²⁵	Pro	2007–2013	cT2‐T3sN0 rectal cancer, G1 or G2 who refused radical surgery	45 Gy + 5FU or Capecitabine	TEM,TEO	12/16
Garcia‐Aguilar et al. ²⁶	Pro	2006–2009	cT2N0 < 4 cm, involving < 40% rectal circum, within 8 cm of a.v., ECOG Performance Status ≤ 2	54 Gy, 50.4 Gy + CAPOX	TEM, TAE	12/16
Noh et al. ²⁷	Retro	2002–2009	Patients refusal of radical surgery and poor performance status	45 Gy, 50.4 Gy, 44 Gy + 5‐FU, Capecitabine, S1 + IRINOTECAN	NS	10/16
Shin et al. ²⁸	Retro	2006–2014	cT2N0M0 rectal cancer within 7 cm from the a.v., cCR or near cCR	50.0 Gy + 5‐FU or Capecitabine	TAE, TAMIS	10/16
Yu et al. ²⁹	Retro	2000–2009	cT2N0M0 rectal cancer below 5 cm from a.v.	50.4 Gy + 5‐FU or Capecitabine	NS	10/16
Guerrieri et al. ³⁰	Retro	1992–2013	cT2N0M0 rectal cancer < 3 cm, high‐risk patients (ASA III‐IV) or who refused conventional resection	50.4 Gy + 5‐FU or Capecitabine	TEM	12/16

Quality assessment was carried out using the MINORS score for non‐randomized studies and using a Jadad score for RCT.

RCT, randomized controlled trial; Retro, retrospective study; Pro, prospective study; ASA, American Society of Anesthesiology Score; a.v., anal verge; ECOG, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; cCR, complete clinical response; TEM, transanal endoscopic microsurgery; TAMIS, transanal minimally invasive surgery; TAE, transanal excision; NS, not specified; TME, total mesorectal excision.