[Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer]

A total of 37 patients treated with chemoradiotherapy between 2008 and 2011 were analyzed. Radiotherapy was administered in fractions of 1.8 Gy/day for 25 days. S-1 was administered orally in a fixed daily dose of 80 mg/m2 on days 1-5, 8-12, 22-26, and 29-33. Irinotecan(CPT-11 80 mg/m2) was infused on days 1, 8, 22, and 29. Curative surgery was performed 6-8 weeks later. The clinical downstaging rate was 40%. During the median follow-up time of 664 days, 37 patients survived. Recurrence was found in 8 patients. Local recurrence (pelvic lymph node metastasis) was only observed in 1 patient. Grade 3-4 toxic effects, including interstitial pneumonia, occurred in 27% of the patients. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy may result in excellent local control with acceptable morbidity. However, longer follow up is required to assess neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancers.