Developing Individualized Follow-Up Strategies Based on High-Risk Recurrence Factors and Dynamic Risk Assessment for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND

Locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and its incidence is increasing year by year. Despite multimodal treatment, the recurrence rate of LARC patients remains high, about 20%-50%. However, the follow-up strategy according to tumor stage has certain limitations. There is no consensus on the optimal frequency and duration of follow-up. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the high-risk factors for recurrence in LARC from clinical characteristics, nutritional indicators, and imaging indexes. It intends to utilize conditional survival (CS) evaluation to assess dynamic survival and recurrence risks after comprehensive treatment of LARC and to develop individualized follow-up strategies.

METHODS

Logistic regression was utilized to analyze the independent recurrence factors in LARC patients. Calibration curve, decision curve, and ROC curve were employed to evaluate the model's efficacy. Kaplan-Meier curve was used to calculate CS rate and compare survival differences among different risk groups.

RESULTS

A total of 561 patients were analyzed in our study. Our multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), extramural vascular invasion (EMVI), vascular tumor thrombus, perineural invasion, and tumor size were independent factors for recurrence. Subsequently, a nomogram model was constructed and risk stratification was performed. Calibration curves and decision curves demonstrated that the model exhibited good clinical efficacy. The area under the ROC curve for the model was 0.763, indicating good sensitivity and specificity. Kaplan-Meier curves showed significant differences in survival among different risk groups. Furthermore, we observed that the CS without local recurrence and distant metastasis increased each year, while the cumulative recurrence risk decreased annually with prolonged survival time. Tailored follow-up intensities were developed for different risk groups and clinical stages based on the cumulative recurrence risk.

CONCLUSION

The personalized follow-up strategy based on risk stratification can optimize resource allocation, early detection of recurrence or metastasis, and ultimately enhance the overall care and prognosis of LARC patients.