Neoadjuvant treatments (nCRT) are becoming the standard treatment for patients with stage II or stage III mid-low rectal cancer. In fact, with the introduction of total mesorectal excision, the local recurrence has been reduced significantly. Recently few studies have shown that surgery alone is enough for patients with T3 rectal cancer. These issues raised the question of whether nCRT is needed for all T3 rectal cancer patients. Therefore, this study was designed to compare the long-term oncological outcomes between surgery and surgery following nCRT among patients with MRI-defined T3, clear MRF mid-low rectal cancer.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Eighteen- to eighty-year-old patients.
2. T3 rectal cancer with clear mesorectal fascia (MRF),
3. within 12 cm from the anal verge at initial diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Exclusion Criteria:

1. emergency surgery due to bleeding, perforation, and bowel obstruction,
2. recurrent rectal cancer,
3. inflammatory bowel disease,
4. Stage IV.

T3 mid-low rectal cancer patients with clear MRF

The source data of the published results can be shared; they are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request (kangl@mail.sysu.edu.cn).