title: Preoperative radiotherapy and IORT in resectable rectal cancer at high risk for local recurrence.
abstract: Over a 4-year period 35 patients with mid- (15 patients) and low (20 patients) rectal cancer clinically staged as T2 N1-2, T3 N0-2 underwent a protocol of combined surgery and radiotherapy. The protocol included: preoperative external beam radiotherapy (38 Gy, ICRU50); surgical resection; IORT on tumor bed (10 Gy). Toxicity of preoperative treatment was mild with a single case (2.9%) of grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity. 18 patients underwent anterior resection and 17 abdominoperineal resection. Perioperative mortality and morbidity were 0% and 17.1% respectively. At a mean follow-up of 25 months all patients were alive. The single anastomotic recurrence observed was rescued with abdominoperineal resection.
mesh_terms: D004724:Endoscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors