[Use of 25-MeV brehmsstrahlung in the combined treatment of cancer of the large intestine].

Preoperatively, 105 patients with cancer of the colon were subjected to radiation therapy with a braking beam from 25 MeV Betatron. The colon was examined roentgeno-endoscopically in all these cases. As a result of the radiation treatment a marked clinical effect was noted in 94 patients, while in 12 cases locally-unresectable tumors were rendered resectable. 77 patients were radically operated upon, and a morphological assay of the operation specimens indicated significant changes arising in the tumor tissue due to the effect of ionizing radiation. The results of the combined therapy of colonic cancer patients prove the rationale of employing high-energy radiation therapy preoperatively.