Optimal interval of surgery after neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy in T3-4/N0+ rectal cancer: population level evidence in addition to controlled trial

We congratulated the study by Saglam et al. from Turkey (1) for providing efficacy data regarding optimal interval of surgery after neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer. However, what seen in controlled trial (efficacy) might not be seen in population real practice (effectiveness) (2). To our knowledge, this issue still remained controversial (3) and there was only one population level study from the Netherlands (4). Therefore, we would like to provide supplementary population level evidence from Taiwan.