[Aspects of the preoperative radiation therapy of patients with rectal and colonic cancer].

The authors present some data on 288 patients with colonic and rectal cancer who were given preoperative radiotherapy, and on 145 patients with rectal cancer who underwent surgery only. In operable rectal cancer intensive irradiation at a single focal dose of 6.5 Gy and summary dose of 19.5 Gy (3 daily fractions), in operable colonic cancer 4 and 20 Gy (5 daily fractions respectively). The five-year survival rate attained during combined treatment of rectal cancer exceeded that after radical operations by 30%. Fractional-extended irradiation at a single focal dose of 4 Gy and summary dose of 40 Gy (every other day) in 44.6% of the patients permitted one to make locally disseminated rectal cancer resectable. Preoperative irradiation of locally disseminated rectal cancer with a preliminary synchronization of the tumor cell division cycle with 5-fluorouracil (a single focal dose of 6 Gy, summary dose of 36 Gy for irradiation twice a week) was well tolerated by the patients, and its effect on tumors was more noticeable as compared to radiotherapy only. Marked radiation reactions were absent in colonic cancer, radical operation (hemicolectomy) entailed no additional difficulties. Local recurrences were not noted in either of 10 patients who had been followed-up in the course of 1 year.