Abstract
Background and purpose
During the first decade of the 21st century a number of important European randomized
studies were published. In order to help shape clinical practice based on best scientific
evidence from the literature, the International Conference on ‘Multidisciplinary Rectal
Cancer Treatment: Looking for an European Consensus’ (EURECA-CC2) was organized in
Italy under the endorsement of European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), European
Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO), and European Society of Therapeutic Radiation
Oncology (ESTRO).
Methods
Consensus was achieved using the Delphi method. The document was available to all
Committee members as a web-based document customized for the consensus process. Eight
chapters were identified: epidemiology, diagnostics, pathology, surgery, radiotherapy
and chemotherapy, treatment toxicity and quality of life, follow-up, and research
questions. Each chapter was subdivided by a topic, and a series of statements were
developed. Each member commented and voted, sentence by sentence thrice. Sentences
upon which an agreement was not reached after voting round # 2 were openly debated
during a Consensus Conference in Perugia (Italy) from 11 December to 13 December 2008.
A hand-held televoting system collected the opinions of both the Committee members
and the audience after each debate. The Executive Committee scored percentage consensus
based on three categories: “large consensus”, “moderate consensus”, and “minimum consensus”.
Results
The total number of the voted sentences was 207. Of the 207, 86% achieved large consensus,
13% achieved moderate consensus, and only 3 (1%) resulted in minimum consensus. No
statement was disagreed by more than 50% of the members. All chapters were voted on
by at least 75% of the members, and the majority was voted on by >85%.
Conclusions
This Consensus Conference represents an expertise opinion process that may help shape
future programs, investigational protocols, and guidelines for staging and treatment
of rectal cancer throughout Europe.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 13, 2009
Accepted:
June 27,
2009
Received in revised form:
June 11,
2009
Received:
April 26,
2009
Identification
Copyright
© 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
