The efficacy of adding targeted agents to neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer patients: a meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT: Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) are at tremendous risk of metastatic diseases. To improve the prognoses of LARC patients, the efficacy of adding targeted agents to neoadjuvant therapy has been investigated by many researchers but remains controversial. A literature search of relevant databases was conducted through December 2016, 804 studies were identified and 32 investigations were ultimately included. A total of 1196 patients from 31 cohorts of 29 studies were eligible for quantitative synthesis in this single-arm setting meta-analysis. As pathologic complete response (pCR) shows promise as a prognosis indicator, we focused on pCR rates to evaluate whether adding targeted agents to neoadjuvant therapies improves the outcome of LARC patients. In our study, we revealed

SUBMITTER: Zhong X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5852374 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature