Short-Course Radiotherapy in Neoadjuvant Treatment for Rectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

To assess whether preoperative short-course radiotherapy (PSRT) could be the treatment of choice compared to preoperative long-course chemoradiotherapy (PLCRT) METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science Databases were searched to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis. Perioperative and survival outcomes between PSRT and PLCRT were selected as end points for our meta-analysis. In addition, health-related quality-of-life outcomes were also systematically reviewed between PSRT and PLCRT. Finally, we also reviewed evidence of optimized regimens of PSRT (with delayed surgery or adding consolidation chemotherapy).