Publication Name	World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
Manuscript ID	123538
DOI	10.4240/wjgs.123538
Country	Italy

Category	Surgery
Manuscript Type	Retrospective Cohort Study
Article Title	Minimally invasive rectal cancer surgery after neoadjuvant therapy in selected elderly and frail patients: A single-center real-world experience
Manuscript Source	Invited Manuscript
All Author List	Valentina Zucchini, Leonardo Solaini, Andrea Avanzolini and Giorgio Ercolani
Funding Agency and Grant Number
Corresponding Author	Leonardo Solaini, MD, Professor, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, via Carlo Forlanini 34, Bologna 40126, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. leonardo.solaini2@unibo.it
Key Words	Rectal neoplasms; Frailty; Octogenarians; Minimally invasive surgical procedures; Postoperative complications; Neoadjuvant therapy
Core Tip	In this single-center real-world cohort, elderly and frail patients with rectal cancer who completed neoadjuvant therapy and were selected for curative-intent minimally invasive surgery achieved acceptable technical and oncologic outcomes. Patients aged 80 years or older had more medical and major postoperative complications and poorer overall survival, whereas surgical complications, cancer-specific survival, and disease-free survival were broadly comparable with those of younger patients. These findings support individualized multidisciplinary assessment rather than age-based exclusion in appropriately selected candidates.
Citation	Zucchini V, Solaini L, Avanzolini A, Ercolani G. Minimally invasive rectal cancer surgery after neoadjuvant therapy in selected elderly and frail patients: A single-center real-world experience. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; In press DOI: https://doi.org/10.4240/wjgs.123538
PDF	123538-in-press.pdf

Received	2026-05-21 06:27
Peer-Review Started	2026-05-21 06:28
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-06-12 14:12
Return for Revision	2026-06-12 14:12
Revised	2026-06-22 13:19
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-07-09 02:35
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-07-09 03:34
Articles in Press	2026-07-09 03:34
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	1948-9366 (online)
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