Residual, Unresectable and Recurrent Rectal Cancer: Role of External Radiation Therapy in 46 Patients

Gil,  Hack Joon; Oh,  Yoon Kyeong; Yoon,  Sei Chul; Shinn,  Kyung Sub; Bahk,  Yong Whee

J Korean Soc Ther Radiol > Volume 6(1); 1988 > Article

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Society for Therapeutic Radiology 1988;6(1): 55-62.

Residual, Unresectable and Recurrent Rectal Cancer: Role of External Radiation Therapy in 46 Patients

Hack Joon Gil, Yoon Kyeong Oh, Sei Chul Yoon, Kyung Sub Shinn, Yong Whee Bahk

Devision of Therapeutic Radiology, Department of Radiology, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea.

ABSTRACT

Fifty patients with residual, unresectable or recurrent rectal cancer were treated with external irradiation using a 6-MV linear accelerator at the Division of Therapeutic Radiology, Department of Radiology, Kangnam St. Mart's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College during the period of April 1983 to December 1987. This paper describes the results of a retrospective analysis of the results of external irradiation for the residual, unresectabel and recurrent rectal cancer in 46 patients. Four patients were lost to follow-up. Of the 46 patients, 18(39%) presented with unresectable primary lesions and 28 (61%) with residual or recurrent rectal cancer. In 93%, the pathologic diagnosis was adenocarcinoma. Resonse to irradiation was observed in 22 (73%) out of 30 patients who were treated for pain, 12 (86%) out of 14 patients who were treated for mass, and 17 (77%) out of 22 patients who were treated for bloody discharge. The actuarial postoperative 2-year and 3-year survival rates in recurrent and unresectable patients were 43% and 22%, respectively. However, the post-RT 2-year survival rate was 13% (6/46).

Key Words: Residual, Unresectable and Recurrent Rectal cancer, External radiotherapy