Dutch TME Trial — Preoperative Short-Course Radiotherapy Plus Total Mesorectal Excision for Rectal Cancer

Phase 3 · 2001 · Colorectal Cancer

Design

Randomized preoperative short-course radiotherapy (5x5 Gy) followed by total mesorectal excision vs total mesorectal excision alone.

Population

Resectable rectal adenocarcinoma.

Primary Endpoint

local recurrence

Key Result

Preoperative radiotherapy halved 10-year local recurrence (5% vs 11%) when added to standardized TME surgery.

Guideline Impact

Foundational evidence for TME plus neoadjuvant radiotherapy in rectal cancer