Based on the research results of COLORⅡ, COREAN, ACOSOG and ALacaRT trials, NCCN rectal cancer clinical practice guidelines (Version 1.2016) made an important update, that rectal cancer can be considered to be performed by laparoscopic method in some patients with surgical indication. The eighth edition of the TNM staging system of the AJCC will be available in 2017, in which increasing molecular biomarkers and establishing a prognostic evaluation system should be emphasized. The launch of the"cancer precision medicine"program will promote the progress on comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of rectal cancer. Seeking minimal invasiveness of surgical procedures, according to the precision of diagnosis and promoting the scientificality of individualized treatment, will be the future direction of clinical practice and research of rectal cancer.