[Combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy for rectal cancer--a 423 cases report]

From June 1975 to June 1985, 423 patients with rectal carcinoma were randomized into 4 groups: 1. Surgery alone (S), 2. Pre-operative radiotherapy plus surgery (RS), 3. Surgery plus postoperative chemotherapy (SC), and 4. Preoperative radiotherapy plus surgery followed by postoperative chemotherapy (RSC). The 5-year survival rates of the combination groups: RS-34.4% (55/160); SC-47.5% (19/40); RSC-52.4%-(33/63) were all superior to that of S alone-28.8% (40/160). The difference between RSC and S alone was particularly significant (P less than 0.01). Further studies are warranted.