Rectal cancer; Dynamics of the tumor VEGF and the density of CD8+ TIL

Examination of the effects of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy on VEGF expression and on the density of CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) of rectal adenocarcinoma, by comparison of the VEGF expression and the density of CD8+ TIL in endoscopical biopsies before and resection specimens after the therapy, should have an clinical impact in the sense of prognosis of this disease. A trend of inferior prognosis was associated with decrease of VEGF expression. The limitation of our study is the number of patients (53), but it is not excluded that in a larger number of patients predictive or prognostic significance of the density of CD8+ TIL could be detected.