Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39924589›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2025

Risk Factors for Regrowth After Nonoperative Management for Rectal Cancer.

Neal Bhutiani, Kentaro Ochiai, Oliver Peacock, Y Nancy You, Brian K Bednarski, Craig Messick, John M Skibber, Michael G White, George J Chang, Tsuyoshi Konishi and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Total neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer in Spain: results from a national patterns-of-care survey by the SEOR-GI Group.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2026
    Article
  2. [Local regrowth: what are the surgical options?]Chirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Neal Bhutiani *Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Kentaro Ochiai *Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Oliver PeacockDepartment of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Y Nancy YouDepartment of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Brian K BednarskiDepartment of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Craig MessickDepartment of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
John M SkibberDepartment of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Michael G WhiteDepartment of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
George J ChangDepartment of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Tsuyoshi KonishiDepartment of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Abhineet UppalDepartment of Surgery, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Emory University Department of Surgery, Atlanta, USA. abhineet.uppal@emory.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0762-3457

Funding

Tumor Evolution and Metastasis ProgramP30CA016672 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI Fabien Delerue · 1985 to 2026
$290.8M
CTSA K12 Program at The University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonK12TR004908 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI Charles C Miller, JON E. TYSON · 2024 to 2026
$2.9M
NCATS NIH HHS K12 TR004908NCI NIH HHS P30 CA016672
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAmong patients with rectal cancer who achieve a complete clinical response (cCR) after neoadjuvant therapy and undergo nonoperative management (NOM), a subset experience tumor regrowth and require salvage surgery. We sought to identify clinicopathologic factors associated with tumor regrowth to assist in patient selection for NOM.

methodsPatients treated for rectal cancer at a single National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in whom NOM was pursued based on cCR or near-cCR were identified. Patients were stratified based on whether they developed tumor regrowth during follow-up. Tumor and treatment details were compared to identify factors affecting regrowth-free survival (RFS).

resultsAmong 125 patients, 26 (20.8%) experienced local regrowth and 8 (6.4%) experienced distant metastasis at a median follow-up of 35 months. Extramural vascular invasion (EMVI) and clinically positive pelvic sidewall lymph nodes (PSW) were associated with worse RFS (hazard ratio [HR] 2.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-5.72, p = 0.03; HR 2.77, 95% CI 1.16-6.61, p = 0.002). Among 107 patients eligible for post hoc endoscopic evaluation, those with cCR (n = 80) at first endoscopic re-evaluation had trended towards higher RFS than those with near-cCR (n = 27; HR 2.12, 95% CI 0.95-4.75, p = 0.07), with a significant difference in patients without regrowth at 1 year (HR 5.58, 95% CI 1.23-25.32, p = 0.03).

conclusionsRectal cancer patients with high-risk magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features, namely EMVI and positive PSW nodes, are more likely to experience tumor regrowth despite an excellent clinical response. Patients with a near-complete endoscopic response may also be at higher risk of later regrowth. The decision to attempt NOM should be carefully weighed against the increased risk of tumor regrowth.

Indexed as

Neoadjuvant TherapyNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalRectal NeoplasmsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansLymphatic MetastasisMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm InvasivenessPrognosisRetrospective StudiesRisk FactorsNeoadjuvant therapyNonoperative managementRectal cancerRegrowthWatch and wait

Identifiers

PMID39924589
PMCPMC12396200

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.