Re-evaluating the role of pelvic radiation in the age of modern precision medicine and systemic therapy

Tao-Wei Ke; Yu-Min Liao; Sheng-Chi Chang; Che-Hung Lin; William Tzu-Liang Chen; Ji-An Liang; Chun-Ru Chien

doi:10.5306/wjco.v15.i1.1

Re-evaluating the role of pelvic radiation in the age of modern precision medicine and systemic therapy

World J Clin Oncol. 2024 Jan 24;15(1):1-4. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v15.i1.1.

Authors

Tao-Wei Ke^{1

2}, Yu-Min Liao³, Sheng-Chi Chang¹, Che-Hung Lin³, William Tzu-Liang Chen^{1

4

5}, Ji-An Liang^{5

6}, Chun-Ru Chien⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
² School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
³ Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, Hsinchu 30272, Taiwan.
⁵ School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
⁷ Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan. d16181@gmail.com.

Abstract

The efficacy of pelvic radiation in the management of locally advanced stage rectal cancer has come under scrutiny in the context of modern precision medicine and systemic therapy as evidenced by recent clinical trials such as FOWARC (J Clin Oncol 2019; 37: 3223-3233), NCT04165772 (N Engl J Med 2022; 386: 2363-2376), and PROSPECT (N Engl J Med 2023; 389: 322-334). In this review, we comprehensively assess these pivotal trials and offer additional insights into the evolving role of pelvic radiation in contemporary oncology.

Keywords: Clinical trial; Locally advanced stage rectal cancer; Precision medicine; Radiotherapy; Systemic therapy.

Publication types

Editorial