Pelvic MRI Following Total Neoadjuvant Therapy for Rectal Cancer Poorly Predicts a Complete Clinical Response

Key Points

• The study aims to evaluate the predictive value of pelvic MRI after total neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancer.
• Analyzed endoscopic findings in patients with rectal cancer
• Compared results of initial positive MRIs with long-term outcomes
• Followed up with patients over a period of 4 years
• Two-thirds of patients with initially positive MRIs showed no regrowth after 4 years
• Indicates a mismatch between MRI results and actual clinical outcomes
• Suggests limited reliability of MRI for predicting complete response in this context