To examine factors associated with the use of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) and to compare the clinical and pathological characteristics of patients treated with neoadjuvant RT to those treated with adjuvant RT.
Approach:
Study Design: Retrospective cohort study using data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2015 to 2022.
Study Population: Adult patients with primary rectal adenocarcinoma diagnosed with LARC (clinical stage II–III) who underwent surgery with either neoadjuvant or adjuvant RT.
Statistical Analysis: Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with adjuvant RT receipt, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Key Findings:
Out of 203,513 adults with primary rectal cancer, 48,452 patients met inclusion criteria for analysis.
93.1% of patients received neoadjuvant RT, while 6.9% received adjuvant RT.
Further analysis is needed to compare the clinical and pathological characteristics of patients treated with neoadjuvant RT versus those treated with adjuvant RT.
Interpretation:
The study aims to identify sociodemographic determinants that may contribute to disparities in the administration of adjuvant RT among patients with rectal cancer.
Limitations:
The study is retrospective and relies on de-identified data from the NCDB.
Potential biases in data collection and reporting may affect findings.
Conclusion:
The study provides insights into the factors influencing the use of adjuvant RT in LARC patients.
