What do systematic reviews say?

Local excision vs radical resection

Local excision showed no clear difference in disease‐free survival (D‐FS)Â compared with radical resection (low certainty).

• Local versus radical surgery for early rectal cancer with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  HR 1.96 [0.91, 4.24]
  3 studies · 212 participants
  Low

Local excision vs radical resection

• Local versus radical surgery for early rectal cancer with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 165 participants
  Low

Local excision vs radical resection

It is very uncertain whether local excision changes cancer‐related survival (C‐RS)Â compared with radical resection (very low certainty).

• Local versus radical surgery for early rectal cancer with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  HR 1.42 [0.6, 3.33]
  3 studies · 207 participants
  Very low

Local excision vs radical resection

• Local versus radical surgery for early rectal cancer with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  4 studies · 265 participants
  Low

Local excision vs radical resection

Local excision showed no clear difference in major postoperative complications compared with radical resection (low certainty).

• Local versus radical surgery for early rectal cancer with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.53 [0.22, 1.28]
  4 studies · 266 participants
  Low

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

Local excision vs radical resection

• Local versus radical surgery for early rectal cancer with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 55 participants
  Low