[A recurrent gastric cancer improved by radiation therapy]

In March, 1988, a 65 year-old male underwent a total gastrectomy for a gastric cancer (Borrmann 3: a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma; IIc: signet ring cell carcinoma). In October that year, however, an anastomotic recurrence of this tumor was found. Thus, from November, 1988 to January, 1989, to treat this recurrence, the patient received a course of radiation therapy frontally, towards the upper abdomen, with a total dose of 46.5 Gy (linac X-ray). His symptoms improved, and a CT, an upper gastrointestinal barium study, and an endoscopic examination indicated that the tumor had disappeared. No further recurrence was found until January, 1990, when the patient died of a metastasis that had spread throughout his body.