 Patients with local advanced rectal cancer T2N or T3-4aNany,M0, CRM2mm, 5-12cm from the anus were scheduled to Group A: receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone 4 cycles of XELOX: oxaliplatin 130mgm2 day 1,capecitabine 2000mgm2 days 1-14, repeated every 21 days followed by radical surgery and 4 cycles of XELOX oxaliplatin 130mgm2 day 1,capecitabine 2000mgm2 days 1-14, repeated every 21 days and Group B :chemoradiotherapy 50.4 Gy plus capecitabine 1650 mgm2 administered orally and concurrently with radiation therapy for 5 days per week. followed by radical surgery and 6 cycles of XELOX oxaliplatin 130mgm2 day 1,capecitabine 2000mgm2 days 1-14, repeated every 21 days The primary endpoint was overall survival; analyses were done based on all patients with post-randomization data. 