# Individualized Treatment Approach for Rectal Adenocarcinoma in the Setting of Congenital Neutropenia

## TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges of treating rectal cancer in a patient with congenital neutropenia, a rare genetic disorder that weakens the immune system.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in presenting a case of individualized cancer treatment for a patient with severe congenital neutropenia.

## Key findings

- Treating rectal adenocarcinoma in congenital neutropenia requires individualized strategies due to heightened infection risks.
- Standard cancer therapies like chemotherapy and surgery pose significant risks in immunodeficient patients.
- Evidence-based guidelines must be adapted for patients with severe comorbidities like congenital neutropenia.

## Abstract

Congenial neutropenia is a rare genetic disorder that puts individuals at risk of life-threatening bacterial infections early in life, and the current standard of care includes the use of colony-stimulating factors or curative intent bone marrow transplant. Cancer treatment strategies that include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy present significant challenges to an individual with a baseline immunodeficiency as seen in this condition. Evidence-based national guidelines aid physicians and patients in moving through complex cancer care regimens. However, these are altered when the intensity of the patient's comorbidities puts them at increased risk of developing a potentially life-threatening infection. Here, we present a patient treated for rectal carcinoma in the setting of severe congenital neutropenia.