Diagnosis and treatment of medium low rectal cancer in the status quo and outlook WANG Jian-ping. Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Sixth Affiliated (Gastrointestinal and Anal Hospital) of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China Abstract Middle-low rectal cancer is a common disease with high morbidity. It is of vital importance for early detection and early treatment, which results in high survival rate. In addition, it is becoming routine to provide prognostic and predictive factors for treatment selection and prognosis when diagnosing. The progress in image methods has made reliable information for pre-treatment diagnosis and staging, which helps to make treatment strategy. Multi-disciplinary treatment and individual treatment are two major principles when treating middle-low rectal cancer. More and more studies are carried on to find the best combination of operation, radiation and chemotherapy. The aims of treatment are to improve survival rate as well as to maintain the function of anus and pelvic automatic nerve. Quality of life is the crucial focus during the whole process of treating patients with middle-low rectal cancer.