Timing to Minimally Invasive Surgery After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Rectal Cancer

PURPOSE To demonstrate if delayed timing of surgery after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy actually affects pathological complete response (pCR) and reflects on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rather than standard timing. Eight weeks are the current standard interval to surgery after neoadjuvant treatment, while 12 weeks represent the "minimum" longer time interval to determine further tumor modifications and the "a priori" choice to avoid hypothetical surgical detrimental effect (postoperative complications related to radiation therapy). Primary Endpoint * pCR Secondary Endpoints * DFS * OS * QoL (quality of Life) Site Eligibility The trial is a multicenter collaboration, involving all those centers able to provide the standard of cure for locally advanced rectal cancer. All the involved centers have to respect the following criteria: * Site able to perform robotic-assisted and standard laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery and TaTME (transanal total mesorectal excision) * Site able to provide a preoperative work up according to the work up criteria specified in this trial * Site able to provide standard neoadjuvant treatment, both chemo and radiation therapy, according to the criteria specified in this trial * Predicted capability to recruit a minimum of 15 patients per year to the trial. Randomization will take place after consent is obtained and after patients have completed their baseline patient reported questionnaires. Patient consent and randomization will take place as close to the date of start of the neoadjuvant treatment as possible and must be no more than 30 days prior to planned treatment.