Treatment of rectal carcinomas by means of endocavity irradiation

Direct contact irradiation may be used in the curative treatment of patients with carefully selected early rectal lesions. With earlier diagnosis, a large number of patients may present with suitable lesions. The treatments last three minutes and are administered every two weeks to a total dose of 9,000 rad to 12,500 rad. The patients require no general anesthesia or hospitalization and may continue working during this treatment. There appears to be no risk of morbidity or mortality. The rectum is preserved. Most beneficial of all to the patient, a colostomy is avoided, although later surgery is not precluded for local failures. It has been found that recurrence, should it occur, appears within the 18 months immediately following treatment. Good palliation can be achieved in some cases for patients with metastatic disease, for their local symptoms. We believe that the endocavity method of irradiation contributes an important advance in the management of patients with cancer of the rectum and feel it should be available universally.