Current management of rectal cancer usually encompasses multimodality treatment and the interface of several medical disciplines. In this shared decision-making model, it is crucial not to lose sight of the primary aim, namely the benefit of the patient. Organ preservation is a treatment option that might improve the quality of life of rectal cancer patients. Several questions, however, remain unresolved and the practice of organ preservation still requires careful balance between risks and benefits. It is our duty to serve patients by providing clinical evidence on organ preservation strategies. Through the IWWD consortium and its global collaborative effort we intend to advance the case for organ preservation in rectal cancer, to the patients benefit.

The IWWD collects retrospective and prospective data to develop accurate understanding of risks and benefits of organ-preserving clinical strategies. The prospective information may become the platform for deriving best-practice guidelines in organ preservation and surveillance. All patients with rectal cancer, in whom the standard of care (i.e. total mesorectal excision surgery) was omitted due to the achievement of a clinical complete response after neoadjuvant therapy, are eligible to be included in the IWWD.

The IWWD has been migrated to www.CastorEDC.com

Castor EDC Data entry Manual: LINK to IWWD_CASTOR Manual _v1.2.pdf

The International Watch & Wait Database (IWWD) is an international initiative from the Champalimaud Foundation (Lisboa, PT) and EURECCA, the European Registry of Cancer Care, (Leiden, NL).

Principal Investigators

• Prof G.L. Beets, Netherlands Cancer Institute (Amsterdam, NL)
• Dr O. Parés, Fundação Champalimaud (Lisboa, PT)
• Prof C.J.H. van de Velde, Leiden University Medical Center (Leiden, NL)
• Prof A. Habr-Gama, Angelita and Joaquim Gama Institute (São Paulo, BR)
• Prof J. Gama, Angelita and Joaquim Gama Institute (São Paulo, BR)
• Dr R.O. Perez, Angelita and Joaquim Gama Institute (São Paulo, BR)
• Dr. N. Figueiredo, Hospital Lusíadas (Lisboa, PT)

IWWD protocol: LINK to IWWD protocol version 2.1 dd 28-06-2021.pdf

IRB statement: LINK to IWWD_approval_exemption_20200311.pdf

Patient information: LINK to IWWD-website_patientinfo