A favourable pathological stage after neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy in patients with initially irresectable rectal cancer correlates with a favourable prognosis.
Initial treatments of locally advanced rectal cancers focus on local control, as local relapse of a rectal cancer is correlated with a high morbidity and mortality. We studied the effect of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy on advanced rectal cancer patients in relation to downstaging, local relapse and survival. Post-treatment pathological staging, local relapse and survival were analysed in 66 patients from a single institution. 43 patients had irresectable cancer as determined by laparatomy (n=42) or rectal examination (n=1). These 43 patients received 45-56 Gy preoperatively with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (350/20 mg/m(2)x5 day (d)) in weeks 1 and 5 during the radiation therapy. 23 patients had primary resectable tumours with a T1-2 stage. Of the initially irresectable tumours 79% became macroscopically resectable, in 74% a R0 resection was performed. In 6 of 34 (18%) surgical specimens, no tumour was found (pT0), 7 patients had small tumour remnants (pT1-2). In these pT0-2 tumours, no local relapses occurred (observation period of median 4.5 years, range 18-87 months). In the 21 patients with pT3-4 tumours 3 local relapses were seen. In the 23 patients with primary resectable T1-2 tumours the relapse rate was 4%. Downstaging of an initially irresectable rectal tumour to pT2 or less results in a local relapse rate and overall survival that correspond with the rates in primary resectable cancer with the same T classification.
Reerink
O
O
Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Groningen, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Verschueren
R C J
RC
Szabo
B G
BG
Hospers
G A P
GA
Mulder
N H
NH
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil