A randomized phase III rectal cancer trial out of China just reported some great results for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer (and confirms our modern TNT practice). TNTCRT randomized 458 patients with high-risk LARC to conventional long-course CRT → surgery → adjuvant chemotherapy versus CAPOX before, during, and after long-course radiation. Yep. Doublet chemo, all the way through. 3-year DFS: 74.8% vs 66.0% HR 0.67 MFS: 77.7% vs 67.6% HR 0.66 pCR: 26.4% vs 9.8% Big numbers, much win. But the criticism is the comparator. The control arm is not how we treat high-risk rectal cancer in the US. We already know TNT is better than CRT → surgery → adjuvant chemotherapy based on OPRA's modern benchmark. With CRT followed by consolidation FOLFOX/CAPOX, 3-year DFS was 76%, essentially the same as the 74.8% seen here. But OPRA also comes with the added benefit of TME-free survival of 54%. I think what is still impressive is the scale and speed of this trial. The Chinese trial infrastructure is fully operational and anyone in drug development should take note. @TheGutOncLab @OncoAlert