New approach to adjuvant radiotherapy in rectal cancer
A sandwich technique of adjuvant radiotherapy was used to treat twenty-three patients with rectal cancer. In this technique, low dose preoperative irradiation (500 rad in one treatment) was given to all patients followed by immediate surgery (usually an A-P resection); on the basis of histopathological findings, patients with stage B/sub 2/ and C rectal cancer were selectively given 4500 rad post-operative irradiation in 5 weeks. Nine patients had early lesions (stage A and B/sub 1/) and did not receive postoperative irradiation. Thirteen patients had stage B/sub 2/ and C disease and hence received the full course of postoperative irradiation. One patient was found to have liver metastasis at the time of surgery, and hence received only palliative therapy. Follow-up of these twenty-three patients ranges from 10 months to 24 months with a median follow-up of 15 months. Treatment was well-tolerated with few side effects. Only two of the twenty-two patients who were treated for cure have failed to date. Both patients had stage C/sub 2/ disease; one patient developed an anterior abdominal wall recurrence in the surgical scar 3 months post-treatment and the second patient developed brain and bone metastases. No patients have failed in the pelvis. We feel this technique of adjuvant therapy is a logical approach to the treatment of rectal cancer and has potential for improving survival. The rationale for this approach to adjuvant radiotherapy is discussed together with implications for survival.
- Research Organization:
- Thomas Jefferson Univ. Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
- OSTI ID:
- 5005999
- Journal Information:
- Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States), Vol. 6:2; Conference: 20. annual meeting of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiologists, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2 Nov 1978
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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