Radiation therapy of carcinoma in the rectum and sigmoid colon

Radiation therapy combined with some anti-cancer drugs was performed in a total of 79 patients with carcinoma of the rectum and sigmoid colon, consisting of 41 primary, 25 recurrent and 13 postoperatively irradiated ones. Relief of subjective symptoms was observed in 50% or more of primary and recurrent patients. Radiation response of tumor was marked in 23 (56%) of primary ones. Five-year survival rate was 21% in the primary patients without any remote metastasis, 11% in the recurrent and 27% in the postoperatively irradiated. It was concluded that this combination therapy might be valuable for getting a cure in the primary patients with radioresponsive tumor (T1-T4: M0) and the patients with localized residual lesion, and for good palliation in the patients with far advanced and recurrent carcinoma.