The British journal of surgery
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Short-course radiotherapy (SRT) with immediate surgery and long-course chemoradiotherapy (CRT) are currently the standard preoperative treatment options for rectal cancer. SRT with surgery delayed for 4-8 weeks (SRT-delay) is an option described for patients with locally advanced tumours who are not fit for CRT. This study examined early toxicity, response to radiotherapy (RT) and short-term outcomes of SRT-delay. ⋯ The SRT-delay schedule was a feasible alternative with low toxicity. The study indicated a downstaging effect of SRT if surgery was delayed.