Adjuvant postoperative radiation therapy for resectable rectal cancer

Following potentially curative surgery for resectable adenocarcinoma of the rectum, the incidence of local failure is 15% to 35% in stages T3N0 and T1N1-2 and 45% to 65% in stages T4N0, T3N1-2, and T4N1-2. In order to determine the impact of pelvic radiation therapy +/- chemotherapy on local failure and survival, we present a prospective analysis of our results of 25 patients treated with this approach. The median follow-up was 30 months (range: 10 to 48 months). For the total patient group the 3-year actuarial survival was 74%. In order to more accurately analyze the patterns of failure, actuarial calculations were performed. The actuarial incidence of local failure as a component of failure was 17%. For patients with node positive disease (T1-4N1-2), the overall survival was 80%, and the actuarial incidence of local failure as a component of failure was 15%. Complications were acceptable and the incidence of small bowel obstruction requiring surgery was 8%.