A case of descending colon cancer achieving a complete response with preoperative capecitabine plus oxaliplatin therapy following colorectal stenting

A 71-year-old woman with obstructive descending colon cancer and synchronous lymph node and liver metastases underwent colorectal stenting to relieve colonic obstruction. Preoperative capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CapeOX) was administered for four cycles. Subsequent imaging showed marked shrinkage of the primary tumor, with nodal and hepatic lesions no longer detectable. Laparoscopic left hemicolectomy was then performed. Histopathological examination demonstrated a pathological complete response (CR), with no viable tumor cells in the primary lesion and no lymph node metastasis. Postoperative chemotherapy was resumed, and the patient remains recurrence-free. This rare case highlights a CR in both primary and metastatic lesions after colorectal stenting and preoperative CapeOX therapy.