What do systematic reviews say?

Local excision vs radical resection

Local excision probably leads to lower minor postoperative complications compared with radical resection (moderate certainty).

• Local versus radical surgery for early rectal cancer with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.48 [0.27, 0.85]
  4 studies · 266 participants
  Moderate