Preoperative Radiotherapy With Capecitabine and Bevacizumab in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: CRAB Phase II Study

The use of preoperative chemoradiation and adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-FU based chemotherapy reduced local recurrence rate to less than 10%, but has only had limited effect on overall survival due to the constantly high (more than 30%) rate of distant metastasis. However, it has been shown that complete eradication of the primary tumour observed in the histopathological specimen (pathological complete response, pCR) correlates with a favourable overall prognosis so obtaining a pCR might be beneficial. The aim of the study is to investigate whether the addition of bevacizumab to preoperative fluoropyrimidinebased chemoradiation improves pathological complete remission rate in locally advanced rectal cancer with acceptable toxicity. Secondary objectives are to evaluate pathological downstaging rate, histopathological R0 resection rate,sphincter preservation rate, perioperative surgical complication rate, local control, DFS, OS, late toxicity and quality of life.