Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41504807›Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer research and clinical oncology2026

Total neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer: barriers to implementation in real-world practice.

David Rene Steike, Niklas Benedikt Pepper, Stefan Gravemeyer, Anne Bremer, Bernhard Glasbrenner, Matthias Brüwer, Andreas Pascher, Dirk Domagk, Lothar Biermann, Philipp Lenz and 2 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

David Rene SteikeDepartment of Radiotherapy - Radiooncology, University Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany. davidrene.steike@ukmuenster.de.
Niklas Benedikt PepperDepartment of Radiotherapy - Radiooncology, University Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.
Stefan GravemeyerDepartment of Radiotherapy - Radiooncology, University Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.
Anne BremerDepartment of Hematology - Oncology, St. Franziskus Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.
Bernhard GlasbrennerDepartment of Gastroenterology, Diabetology, St. Franziskus Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.
Matthias BrüwerDepartment of General and Visceral Surgery, St. Franziskus Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.
Andreas PascherWest German Cancer Center, University Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.
Dirk DomagkDepartment of Medicine I, Josephs-Hospital Warendorf, Warendorf, Germany.
Lothar BiermannDepartment of Visceral and General Surgery, Josephs-Hospital Warendorf, Warendorf, Germany.
Philipp LenzWest German Cancer Center, University Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.
Hans Theodor Eich *Department of Radiotherapy - Radiooncology, University Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.
Gabriele Reinartz *Department of Radiotherapy - Radiooncology, University Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTotal neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) has demonstrated superior oncologic outcomes and improved organ preservation in randomized trials for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). This study aimed to assess the real-world implementation of TNT in clinical routine and identify barriers to its application.

methodsThis retrospective, multicenter cohort study analyzed 111 patients with LARC treated between February 2021 and May 2024 across three certified colorectal cancer centers in Germany. Patients were stratified into TNT and non-TNT groups according to their neoadjuvant treatment modality. Primary endpoints included treatment adherence, disease-free survival (DFS), postoperative morbidity, and documented reasons for omitting TNT. Outcomes were compared with benchmark protocols from established TNT trials.

resultsDespite fulfilling guideline criteria, only 23 of 111 patients (20%) received TNT. Main barriers to TNT included advanced age, comorbidities, and patient refusal. The 1-year DFS rate was 96% in the TNT group and 94% in the non-TNT group. Severe low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) occurred in 9% of TNT patients compared to 22% in the non-TNT group. Postoperative complication rates were similar across both groups. While TNT was associated with favorable trends in disease control and functional outcomes, statistical significance was not reached.

conclusionThere is a notable discrepancy between clinical guideline recommendations and real-world TNT implementation in LARC. Addressing patient-specific barriers and adopting standardized, risk-adapted treatment decision frameworks may improve clinical integration of TNT, particularly in older and comorbid populations.

Indexed as

Neoadjuvant TherapyRectal NeoplasmsAgedDisease-Free SurvivalFemaleGermanyHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesLocally advanced rectal cancerMultimodal therapyOrgan preservationReal-world evidenceTNTTotal neoadjuvant therapy

Identifiers

PMID41504807
PMCPMC12783395

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.