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Preoperative irradiation for unresectable rectal and rectosigmoid carcinomas
Author(s) -
Dosoretz Daniel E.,
Gunderson Leonard L.,
Hedberg Stephen,
Hoskins Bruce,
Blitzer Peter H.,
Shipley William,
Cohen Alfred
Publication year - 1983
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(19830901)52:5<814::aid-cncr2820520511>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - medicine , rectum , radiation therapy , surgery , incidence (geometry) , carcinoma , stage (stratigraphy) , radiology , paleontology , physics , optics , biology
The records of 25 patients with unresectable carcinoma of the rectum and rectosigmoid who received preoperative radiation therapy (RT) were reviewed. Twenty patients were considered to be resectable following RT (80%). Sixteen patients (64%) underwent curative resections. All patients with unresectable tumors following RT died with tumor within two and one half years (median survival, 11 months). For patients undergoing curative resection, the probability of two‐ and five‐year survival was 56% and 43%, respectively. In this latter group, five of seven patients with treatment failures (71%) had a pelvic component of disease. The incidence of pelvic recurrence was correlated with the pathologic stage, extent of resection and preoperative radiation dose. The need for more aggressive treatment for patients with these advanced tumors is emphasized. Future treatment alternatives are discussed.