TY - JOUR
T1 - Postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer
T2 - Analysis of acute and chronic toxicity
AU - Bertuccelli, Maurizio
AU - Cartei, Francesco
AU - Falcone, Alfredo
AU - Campoccia, Salvatrice
AU - Sainato, Aldo
AU - Ducci, Francesco
AU - Moda, Stefano
AU - Pfanner, Elisabetta
AU - Lencioni, Monica
AU - Brunetti, Isa
AU - Giulianotti, Pier Cristoforo
AU - Mosca, Franco
AU - Laddaga, Michele
AU - Conte, Pier Franco
PY - 1997/3
Y1 - 1997/3
N2 - Aims and background: The aim of the study was to evaluate acute and chronic toxicity of combined postoperative standard radiation therapy to the pelvis and 5-fluorouracil plus levamisole in resectable rectal cancer. Methods: Between July 1990 and September 1993, 58 patients with histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the rectum entered the prospective study. The schedule consisted of 5-fluorouracil, 450 mg/m2 i.v. for 5 days, and from day 28 5-fluorouracil, 450 mg/m2 i.v. weekly for 24 weeks, plus levamisole given orally at the dose of 150 mg every day for 3 days every 2 weeks for 6 months; radiotherapy (180 cGy/day) 5 days a week for a total dose of 45 Gy was administered from day 28. Results: After the first cycle of chemotherapy (before radiotherapy), overall toxicity was mild. During chemoradiotherapy dose-limiting toxicity was grade 3 diarrhea and proctitis, for which the combined treatment was interrupted for more than 7 cumulative days in 28 patients. During the 24 weeks of weekly 5-fluorouracil (after radiotherapy), no severe toxicity was reported. Three-year survival and progression-free survival were 65% and 50-55%, respectively. Conclusions: Although adjuvant chemoradiotherapy is usually feasible, in our study toxicity was severe in a substantial proportion of patients, probably due to the schedule applied. We are evaluating the feasibility and toxicity of a combined treatment which includes 5-fluorouracil in continuous chronomodulated infusion during radiotherapy.
AB - Aims and background: The aim of the study was to evaluate acute and chronic toxicity of combined postoperative standard radiation therapy to the pelvis and 5-fluorouracil plus levamisole in resectable rectal cancer. Methods: Between July 1990 and September 1993, 58 patients with histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the rectum entered the prospective study. The schedule consisted of 5-fluorouracil, 450 mg/m2 i.v. for 5 days, and from day 28 5-fluorouracil, 450 mg/m2 i.v. weekly for 24 weeks, plus levamisole given orally at the dose of 150 mg every day for 3 days every 2 weeks for 6 months; radiotherapy (180 cGy/day) 5 days a week for a total dose of 45 Gy was administered from day 28. Results: After the first cycle of chemotherapy (before radiotherapy), overall toxicity was mild. During chemoradiotherapy dose-limiting toxicity was grade 3 diarrhea and proctitis, for which the combined treatment was interrupted for more than 7 cumulative days in 28 patients. During the 24 weeks of weekly 5-fluorouracil (after radiotherapy), no severe toxicity was reported. Three-year survival and progression-free survival were 65% and 50-55%, respectively. Conclusions: Although adjuvant chemoradiotherapy is usually feasible, in our study toxicity was severe in a substantial proportion of patients, probably due to the schedule applied. We are evaluating the feasibility and toxicity of a combined treatment which includes 5-fluorouracil in continuous chronomodulated infusion during radiotherapy.
KW - Postoperative chemoradiotherapy
KW - Rectal cancer
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M3 - Article
C2 - 9226028
AN - SCOPUS:0030745328
VL - 83
SP - 599
EP - 603
JO - Tumori
JF - Tumori
SN - 0300-8916
IS - 2
ER -