Combined modality preoperative therapy for unresectable rectal cancer

Locally advanced rectal cancer has been a surgical challenge because of fixation of the primary tumor to the boney pelvis or to other pelvic soft tissues. During a 12-month period seven patients with locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the rectum were treated preoperatively with simultaneous pelvic irradiation (4500-5040 cGy) and infusion chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil 1000 mg per m2 per day over 96 hours and mitomycin 10 mg per m2. Tolerance was reasonable and all patients underwent successful resection of the primary lesion. Two patients had a complete response to preoperative combined modality therapy with no cancer found in the surgical specimen. With a short follow-up period, all patients have experienced satisfactory healing and none have suffered local or distant recurrence. The results of this limited series are encouraging for future clinical trials.