Preoperative Chemoradiation (preoperative + chemoradiation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Preoperative chemoradiation versus radiation alone for stage II and III resectable rectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 12 2009
Wim Ceelen
Abstract Combining chemotherapy with preoperative radiotherapy (RT) has a sound radiobiological rationale. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of trials comparing preoperative RT with preoperative chemoradiation (CRT) in rectal cancer patients. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Embase and Medline (Pubmed) were searched from 1975 until June 2007. Dichotomous parameters were summarized using the odds ratio while time to event data were analyzed using the pooled hazard ratio for death. From the primary search result of 324 trials, 4 relevant randomized trials were identified. The addition of chemotherapy significantly increased grade III and IV acute toxicity (p = 0.002) while no differences were observed in postoperative morbidity or mortality. Preoperative CRT significantly increased the rate of pathological complete response (p < 0.001) although this did not translate into a higher sphincter preservation rate (p = 0.29). The local recurrence rate was significantly lower in the CRT group (p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed in disease free survival (p = 0.89) or overall survival (p = 0.79). Compared to preoperative RT alone, preoperative CRT improves local control in rectal cancer but is associated with a more pronounced treatment related toxicity. The addition of chemotherapy does not benefit sphincter preservation rate or long-term survival. Future trials should address improvements in the rate of distant metastasis and overall survival by incorporating more active chemotherapy. © 2008 UICC [source]


Endoscopic ultrasound staging of rectal cancer: Diagnostic value before and following chemoradiation

JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
YAAKOV MAOR
Abstract Background:, Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has been shown to be a reliable tool for staging rectal cancer. Nevertheless, the accuracy of EUS after chemoradiation remains unclear; therefore the purpose of the present paper was to compare the accuracy of EUS staging for rectal cancer before and following chemoradiation. Methods:, Patients with rectal cancer undergoing EUS staging were stratified into two groups. Group I consisted of 66 patients who underwent surgery following EUS staging without preoperative chemoradiation. Group II consisted of 25 patients who had EUS evaluation following chemoradiation. The EUS staging was compared to surgical/pathological staging. Results:, The accuracy of the T staging for group I was 86% (57/66). Inaccurate staging was mainly associated with overstaging EUS T2 tumors. The accuracy of the N staging for group I was 71% (47/66). The accuracy of EUS for a composite T and N staging relevant to treatment decisions in group I was 91%. In group II, the accuracy of T and N staging was 72% (18/25) and 80% (20/25), respectively. Overstaging EUS T3 tumors accounted for most inaccurate staging. The EUS staging predicted post-chemoradiation T0N0 stage correctly in only 50% of cases. Conclusions:, Preoperative staging of rectal cancer by EUS is a useful modality in determining the need for preoperative chemoradiation. The EUS T staging following chemoradiation appears to be less accurate. Detection of complete response may be insufficient for selecting patients for limited surgical intervention. [source]


The number of lymph nodes with metastasis predicts survival in patients with esophageal or esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma who receive preoperative chemoradiation

CANCER, Issue 5 2006
Yan Gu M.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND The survival of patients with locoregional adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) who receive preoperative chemoradiation is reported to be better among patients who achieve a pathologic complete response than among patients who have residual tumor, including lymph node (LN) metastasis. However, the prognostic significance of the number of LNs with residual metastasis remains unclear. METHODS The authors studied 187 consecutive patients who received chemoradiation followed by an esophagectomy. The number of positive LNs and the size of metastatic tumor in each positive LN were examined with regard to overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). RESULTS A pathologic complete response was achieved by 29% of patients. No LN metastasis (posttherapy pathologic negative LN status [ypN0]) was present in 49% of patients who had residual carcinoma, and LN metastasis (ypN1) was present in 51% of patients. The 5-year OS and 2-year RFS rates achieved by patients who had 1 positive LN (34% and 45%, respectively) were similar to the rates achieved by patients in the ypN0 group (38% [P = 0.84] and 50% [P = 0.77], respectively) but were significantly better than the rates achieved by patients who had , 2 positive LNs (6% [P = 0.02] and 18% [P = 0.01], respectively). The size of metastatic tumor in LNs among patients who had 1 positive LN was a prognostic factor (, 4 mm vs. < 4 mm; P = 0.04). In multivariate analysis, OS was better in patients who had 1 LN metastasis among patients in the ypN1 group (P = 0.02) independent of their posttherapy pathologic tumor status. CONCLUSIONS The current results suggested that the number of LNs with metastasis is an independent prognostic factor in patients with residual adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or the EGJ after preoperative chemoradiation. The authors suggest modification of the tumor-lymph node-metastasis (TNM) staging classification (ypTNM) to include the number of positive LNs in the ypN1 category. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society. [source]