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This retrospective study investigated whether the interval between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery for rectal cancer influences postoperative morbidity or prognosis.

Data from 189 patients receiving neoadjuvant 5-fluorouracil-based chemoradiotherapy were examined. Associations between interval length and clinicopathological characteristics were analysed.

The median interval was 73 (range 6–215) days. Operations performed were abdominoperineal resection (60·3 per cent), anterior resection (37·6 per cent) and Hartmann's procedure (2·1 per cent). Forty-six patients (24·3 per cent) received postoperative chemotherapy. Interval was not significantly associated with pathological tumour (P = 0·648) or node (P = 0·964) category after chemoradiotherapy, or pathological complete response (P = 0·499). Logistic …