title: Anal cancer treated with radio-chemotherapy: correlation between length of treatment interruption and outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was the evaluation of the feasibility and outcome of definitive radio-chemotherapy without split-course technique but with individualised short treatment interruption in anal cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1993 and 2008, 101 patients with anal cancer were treated in our institution with definitive radio-chemotherapy with individualised short treatment interruptions. Treatment was halted independent of dose in case of acute grade 3 toxicities and started again until improvement. Short interruption was defined as completing treatment without exceeding six cumulative treatment days beyond a scheduled plan; otherwise, it was defined as prolonged interruption.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median overall treatment time was 47 days corresponding to an interruption of six cumulative treatment days. Fifty-one patients (50%) had treatment interruption of <or=6 days. No acute grade 4 toxicities were observed. One fatality occurred during treatment due to ileus-like symptoms according to acute grade 5 toxicity. After a median follow-up of 56 months, the 5-year actuarial rates for local control comparing patients with short vs. prolonged treatment interruption were 78% vs. 81% (p = 0.904) and, for colostomy-free survival, 83% vs. 85% (p = 0.784), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Definitive radio-chemotherapy with short individualised treatment interruption shows high local control and colostomy-free survival rates.
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany. janssen.stefan@mh-hannover.de
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Janssen
authors: Jürgen
authors: J
authors: Meier zu Eissen
authors: Gerd
authors: G
authors: Kolbert
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Bremer
authors: Johann Hinrich
authors: JH
authors: Karstens
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Meyer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents