Impact of neoadjuvant immunotherapy on postoperative complications after surgery for rectal cancer

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Despite the increasing use of immunotherapy in treating various cancer types, there is still limited understanding of its impact on surgical complications. This study investigates the impact of neoadjuvant immunotherapy on surgical outcomes in rectal cancer patients. Using the National Cancer Database, researchers performed a retrospective cohort study with a 1:1 propensity match to compare patients receiving standard chemoradiation alone versus those also receiving immunotherapy. The matched analysis of 125 patients found no significant differences in hospital length of stay, unplanned 30-day readmission, or 30-day mortality, although those receiving immunotherapy had a longer time from diagnosis to surgery. The findings suggest that neoadjuvant immunotherapy does not increase surgical complications, aiding clinicians in treatment planning.

*equally contributing first authors

Recommended citation: Shou M*, Habib DRS*, Idrees K, Hawkins A, Ford M, Lee H, Khan B, Khan A. Impact of neoadjuvant immunotherapy on postoperative complications after surgery for rectal cancer. J Surg Onc. doi:10.1002/jso.27694