Report from the Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Consensus Cancer Conference—Management of Total Neoadjuvant Therapy in Rectal Cancer
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Rectal cancer care is every evolving with major additions and changes over the last decade, to include local excision, TNT, and Watch and Wait options. The review of the consensus statement from the virtual educational series highlights the trend to TNT in rectal cancer care. See comments below:
- Page 1, MDT rounds should be further described as to the attendees and format. Highlight the review of pathology, imaging and treatment discussion with the participants that include radiology, pathology, medical oncology, radiation oncology and surgeons.
- Page 1, It can be performed should be changed to TNT can be performed.
- Page 1, TNT can also be used in N1 disease
- Page 2, need to differentiate between pathologic complete response and clinical complete response
- Page 2, local excision with or without neoadjuvant therapy, which should be based on the final pathologic specimen
- Page 2, with early salvage surgery if recurrent disease.
- Page 2, extra space between group and had (in the second to last paragraph)
- Page 2, omit the second parentheses after DRE
- Page 2, Patients with...complete or near complete clinical response. Must clarify if using pathologic clinical response or clinical response
- Page 3, first paragraph, change Disease free survival to disease free survival
- Page, 3, first paragraph, CT chest, abdomen, and pelvis was performed yearly for years. Specify how many years
- Page 3, GRECCAR2 is a phase III trial...
Author Response
Thank you for your comments - all the edits have been with the exception of below.
Page 2, local excision with or without neoadjuvant therapy, which should be based on the final pathologic specimen
- Some clarification is needed here - neoadjuvant therapy would be given prior to the final pathologic specimen - so please explain what the final pathologic specimen would change in terms of management. Is this in regards to further surgery?
Patients with...complete or near complete clinical response. Must clarify if using pathologic clinical response or clinical response
The statement has clinical response which is different than pathologic response. Please clarify pathologic clinical response comment.