Treatment of stage IV rectal cancer: A multicentre study on short-course radiotherapy followed by neoadjuvant systemic therapy and subsequent surgical treatment

Background. The optimal treatment strategy for rectal cancer patients with synchronous liver metastases remains under debate. Short-course pelvic radiotherapy (5x5 Gy) followed by systemic therapy and subsequent surgical treatment of all tumour sites, as performed in the Dutch M1-study, combines optimal local control of the rectal tumour with the immediate start of systemic therapy and could offer long-term survival. This Dutch multicentre study reports long-term oncological and surgical outcome of patients treated with the M1-schedule in daily practice.