Preoperative Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

PURPOSE: Preoperative concurrent chemoradiation for locally advanced rectal cancer can reduce tumor volume and can eliminate viable tumor cells at surgical margin (lateral or posterior margin). It also achieve a rate of high resectability, and negative margin and also have been known to be a safe treatment modality even though its fatal complication was reported as 4%. The aim of this study is to analyze its efficacy and complications after concurrent chemoradiation treatment for advanced rectal cancer. METHODS: We recruited a total thirty three patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, which were staged preoperatively as T3 or T4 and multiple enlarged lymph nodes by Transrectal Ultrasonography or pelvic Magnetic Resonance Image between march 1996 and June, 1998. 5 Fluorouracil 450 mg/m2 and leucovorin 30 mg infused intravenously during the first and fifth weeks of radiation therapy (4500~5040 cGy). Surgical resection was performed after four or six weeks after completing radiation therapy. To follow up tumor response, digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasonography were done every two weeks. RESULTS: Tumor level was distal (N=16, 48.4%), middle (N=9, 27.2%) and upper (N=8, 24.4%). mean age was fifty two years old. Overall resectability was 91%. Types of operations were abdominoperineal resection (N=10, 30.3%), Low anterior resection (N=8, 24.2), Hartmann (N=8, 24.2%), Posterior exenteration (N=2. 6.1%), Total pelvic exenteration (N=2, 6.1%), colostomy only (N=3, 9.1%). Tumor response was Complete remission (N=3,10%), Partial response (N=17, 57%), Non-response (N=10, 33%), progressive disease (N=3). Pathological status was No residual tumor (N=3, 10%), T2N1 (N=5, 16.6%), T3N0 (N=6, 20%), T4N0 (N=4, 13.3%), T2N1 (N=1, 3.3%), T3N1 (N=11, 36.6%). Downstaging status was as follows: from T3 to T0 (N=2), to T2 (N=3) and From T4 to T0 (N=1), to T2 (N=3), to T3 (N=3). Postoperative morbidity was noted in 2 patients (1 case of anastomotic leakage, 1 case of wound infection). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative concurrent chemoradiation therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer can be performed safely and show high tumor response and resectability.

Treatment Results and Prognostic Factors in the Management of Locoregional Recurrent Breast Carcinoma / 대한치료방사선과학회지

Between January, 1974 and December 1986, fifty eight patients with locoregional recurrent breast carcinoma who did not have evidence of distant metastasis after initial treatment of surgery with or without adjuvant chemotherapy were treated with radiation therapy. Among them, five patients were excluded from this study because of incomplete record or incomplete treatment. The 5-year overall survival and disease free survival from the time of locoregional recurrence was 27% and 15% respectively. In univariate analysis of prognostic variables, the clinical stage at initial diagnosis, recur duration, number of recurrence sites, size of recurrences, response to the treatment, remission duration were all found to have no significant effect on survival or disease free survial. On the other hand, menopausal status at initial diagnosis, number of positive node at initial surgery, whether or not the use of adjuvant chemotherapy after initial mastectomy had definite prognositc significance. In multivariate analysis of prognostic variables, remission duration, menopausal status at diagnosis, number of axillary node at mastectomy had definite prognostic significance. On the other hand, remission duration more than 12 months, premenopaus at initial mastectomy, less than four positive axillary lymph nodes at mastectomy predicted a good prognosis.