Rectal cancer treatment: Improving the picture

Multidisciplinary approach for rectal cancer treatment is currently well defi ned. Nevertheless, new and promising advances are enriching the portrait. Since the US NIH Consensus in the early 90’s some new characters have been added. A bird’s-eye view along the last decade shows the main milestones in the development of rectal cancer treatment protocols.

New drugs, in combination with radiotherapy are being tested to increase response and tumor control outcomes. However, therapeutic intensity is often associated with toxicity. Thus, innovative strategies are needed to create a betterbalanced therapeutic ratio.

Molecular targeted therapies and improved technology for delivering radiotherapyrespond to the need for accuracy and precision in rectal cancer treatment.

CITA DEL ARTÍCULO World J Gastroenterol. 2007 Nov 28;13(44):5805-12