title: Effectiveness of image-guided radiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) combines precise target visualization with optimal delivery of radiation dose to spare normal tissue from radiation and may potentially reduce side-effects and long-term treatment complications. We have assessed the effectiveness of IGRT for locally advanced rectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of 22 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent preoperative chemoradiation was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen patients (median age, 69 years) underwent surgical resection after chemoradiation. All 19 patients achieved complete resection with negative margins. Seven patients (32%) had no residual tumor in the surgical specimen. One patient had grade 4 gastrointestinal toxicity and hematological toxicity probably related to inadvertent overdosing of capecitabine. The median survival for the whole group-patients who had pCR and those who did not have pCR-was 14, 17, and 15 months, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Image-guided radiotherapy provided effective treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer with minimal toxicity and should be investigated in future prospective trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA. NamPhong.Nguyen@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nam P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Misty
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceizyk
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Betz
authors.forename: Homayoun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Modarresifar
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sroka
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Siyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Dave
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stevie
authors.forename: Lexie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smith-Raymond
authors.forename: Shane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krafft
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vinh-Hung
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents