Abstract

Introduction: Pre-operative radiotherapy is now standard neo-adjuvant therapy for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (T3/4). We aim to determine if there is a difference in peri-operative outcomes for patients having had short course radiotherapy compared to those who received long course chemo-radiotherapy. Conclusions: We found that short course radiotherapy seems to be related to delayed bowel function. Short course radiotherapy seemed to have increased rates of minor septic complications. There was no difference in major septic complications. Despitedelayinreturnofbowelfunctionandincreasedminor septic complications there was no difference in duration of hospital stay.