title: Adjuvant irradiation after radical surgery of cancer of the rectum and rectosigmoid.
abstract: From January 1975 through December 1983, 74 consecutive patients were given adjuvant radiotherapy on the whole pelvis after radical surgery for locally advanced rectal (44 cases) and rectosigmoidal (30 cases) cancer. Most patients received 45 Gy to the whole pelvis in 5-7 weeks through AP, PA opposed fields. Fourteen patients were also given adjuvant chemotherapy. Minimum follow-up time of the series is 24 months and median follow-up is 36 months. First relapse was evaluated. Pelvic failures occurred in 17.5% of patients, while distant metastases rate was 32%; median time to relapse was 18 and 10 months respectively. Thirty patients (40.5%) never relapsed and are alive and well, while five additional patients are alive with disease. Four patients died of treatment toxicity. Thirty-one patients died of cancer (41.9%); 8 of them from pelvic failure only. Actuarial relapse-free survival at 3 and 5 years was 51.7% and 46.8%, while actuarial overall survival was 63% and 49%.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D012811:Sigmoid Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery