Methods: All patients with LRC requiring surgery and a permanent colostomy being treated at the participating centres will be assessed for complete clinical response (cCR) eight to ten weeks following the completion of CRT by the treating surgeon. For the study, a cCR will be defined as (i) no palpable tumour on digital rectal exam, (ii) no residual tumour defined as white-yellow, flat scar on endoscopy, (iii) no residual tumour on MRI, (iv) no suspicious mesorectal or extramesorectal lymph nodes on MRI and (v) normal CEA level. Patients who meet all of these criteria for cCR will be invited to participate in the study. Patients who consent to participate in the study will undergo active surveillance that will include DRE, endoscopy and pelvic MRI every 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months; CEA levels every 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24 months and CT chest/abdomen and pelvis every 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. The primary outcome for the study will be the rate of local re-growth 2 years following the completion of CRT. Local re-growth will be defined as failure to meet the cCR criteria at any time point. NOM will be considered safe, if the rate of local re-growth is less than 30% two years after the completion of CRT. The secondary outcomes for the study will be the rate of distant recurrence, disease free and overall survival at 2 years.