Colorectal Cancer

Surgery and radiotherapy for rectal cancer emerged in Europe at the dawn of the 20th century, marking the foundation of modern treatment strategies. Over the decades, Europe has led the way in conducting pivotal randomized trials, shaping and optimizing the multidisciplinary management of rectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third most frequent malignancy and the second leading-cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Metastatic CRC (mCRC) accounts for the majority of deaths. Approximately 15-30% of patients are diagnosed with metastatic disease at the outset, and 20%-50% of those initially diagnosed with localised disease will eventually develop distant spread.