Neoadjuvant chemoradiation for locally advanced carcinoma of the rectum

The aim of this paper is to confirm the efficacy to reduce incidence of relapses, to increase rates of conservative radical surgery and eventually survival of concomitant neo-adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy.

From January 1992 to October 1999, 140 stage II (50.7%) and III (49.3%) patients with adenocarcinoma of the rectum were treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical surgery. Treatment consisted of 25 fractions of 180 cGy (5 days per week), for a total dose of 45 Gy on the whole pelvis. Chemotherapy consisted of 5-FU (350 mg/m2) and leucovorin (10 mg/m2) in bolus for 5 days on days 1-5 and 29-33 of radiation. After an interval of 4-6 weeks, all patients were submitted to surgery.

The median follow-up was 48 months (median, 1-97). At 5 years the overall survival was 71.3% and relapse-free survival was 79.4%. The rate of local control was 90%. Twenty-two (15.7%) patients developed distant metastases. All patients underwent surgery: 26 (18.6%) local excision, 79 (56.4%) anterior resection, 33 (23.6%) abdomino-perineal resection, and 2 (1.4%) Hartmann resection. Consequently, 107 cases (75.4%) underwent conservative surgery. At the time of surgery, 34 patients had negative specimens (24.3%), 45 were in stage I (32.2%), 31 in stage II (22.1%), 32 in stage III (21.4%). The incidence of any grade 3 acute toxicity (WHO) was 5% diarrhea, 20% tenesmus and 11.4% myelosuppression.

The results of this study confirm good tolerance, minor surgery-related complications and efficacy of this regimen on local and distant disease control, with a high percentage of sphincter-saving surgery.