Deidda S, Elmore U, Rosati R, et al. - Post chemoradiotherapy (CRT) receipt for rectal cancer, it is important to quickly detect patients showing inadequate response to CRT and managing them surgically without delay.

• This is a multicenter retrospective cohort study with 1,064 rectal cancer patients with tumors with a poor pathological response to preoperative chemoradiation.

• Worse overall survival rates were reported in relation to a longer waiting time (greater than 8 weeks) before surgery vs shorter wait time (8 weeks or less) (67.6% vs 80.3% at 5 years; 40.1% vs 57.8% at 10 years).

• Similarly, worse disease-free survival was noted with delayed surgery (59.6% vs 72.0% at 5 years; 36.2% vs 53.9% at 10 years).

• Multivariate analysis showed an augmented risk of death (hazard ratio, 1.84) and death/recurrence (hazard ratio, 1.69) in relation to a longer waiting time.