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Preoperative irradiation for carcinoma of the rectum and rectosigmoid colon: Report of a national veterans administration randomized study
Author(s) -
Roswit Bernard,
Higgins George A.,
Keehn Robert J.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197506)35:6<1597::aid-cncr2820350618>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - medicine , rectum , abdominoperineal resection , randomized controlled trial , sigmoid colon , rectosigmoid colon , surgery , adenocarcinoma , lymph node , colorectal cancer , cancer
In 1964 the Veterans Administration Surgical Adjuvant Group (VASAG) initiated a large‐scale, controlled, randomized protocol to study the role of low‐dose preoperative irradiation (2000–2500 rads/10 fractions/12 days) in patients with operable adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon and rectum. This report analyzes the data in 700 patients, all at 5‐year risk. There appears to be a definite benefit to irradiated patients who undergo abdominoperineal resections, when compared with the controls. This advantage is reflected in improvement of 5‐year survival, and reductions in lymph node invasion, local recurrence, and distant metastases. A second protocol has been initiated in 30 VA hospitals employing a higher dose (3150 rads) to extended portals (to L2) to male patients who require abdominoperineal resections.