[Clinical evaluation of radiotherapy in recurrent colorectal cancer]

Eighty four patients with recurrent colorectal cancer were treated by radiotherapy at Tokyo Women's Medical College from January 1969 to September 1987. 1) Sixty four cases (76% of all) recurred within 2 years after initial surgery. 2) the most common initial recurrent site was primary lesion alone (58%) and followed by primary lesion and distant metastasis (18%), lymph node metastasis (13%) and others (11%). 3) Over all response rate (CR + PR) was 57% (20/35). There was no relationship between response rate and total dose. By treatment procedure, response rate was 50% (12/24) in radiotherapy alone, 50% (1/2) in surgery and radiotherapy, and 70% (7/10) in radiotherapy and intra-arterial infusion. 4) Pain relief was obtained 92% of cases. 5) After initial recurrences, 50% of survival time was 12 months and 5 year cumulative survival rate was 7%. In the cases of responders (CR + PR), 5 years survival rate was 11% and there were no 3 years survivors in the cases of non responders (MR + NC). 6) There were no serious acute reaction and late complications. These data suggested that radiotherapy for recurrent colorectal cancer were effective and useful.