title: Colorectal cancer after pelvic irradiation: case reports.
abstract: Four patients with colorectal cancer after pelvic irradiation for gynaecological malignancies are reported. The interval between irradiation and the diagnosis of colorectal cancer was 15-28 years. Histological findings of radiation proctocolitis adjacent to the cancer were observed in all specimens. Ki-67 immunohistologic staining showed high cell proliferation activity in the irradiated mucosa of a recently removed specimen. Although irradiation has not been proved to induce colorectal cancer, considerable circumstantial evidence supports this belief. Awareness of this potential long-term complication is important when planing the follow-up of patients subjected to pelvic radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsunoda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibusawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marumori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kusano
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohta
mesh_terms: D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007417:Intestinal Polyps / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000473:pathology*; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000473:pathology*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012811:Sigmoid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*