Radiation therapy alone or in combination with chemotherapy in the treatment of residual or inoperable XXXX and rectosigmoid or pelvic recurrence following colorectal surgery. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group study (76-16).

@entity1 @entity66 @entity188 @entity16418 @entity1487
Between 1976 and 1981, 147 @entity1 with residual, inoperable, or locally recurrent @entity188 were randomized to receive either radiation (XRT) alone or XRT plus chemotherapy (concomitant @entity1487 during XRT and maintenance @entity1487 + @entity16418 ). An initial field received 4,500-5,100 rad in 5-6 weeks, with a boost field dose to a maximum of 7000 rad/8 weeks (maximum 6,000 rad/7 weeks with chemotherapy), dependent on findings of special small bowel films. One hundred twenty-nine @entity1 were evaluable (65 XRT, 64 XRT + chemo). There were no statistically significant differences between treatments with respect to overall survival, complete remission rate, time to disease progression, local failure rate, or radiation dose distribution. Median survival was 17 months for XRT, 18 months for XRT + chemo; the 2-year survival probability was 36% for XRT, 44% for XRT + chemo. Initial performance status was a significant prognostic factor for both survival and time to disease progression. A trend was observed favoring the combination treatment for @entity1 with @entity66 . Treatment complications were greater for the combined modality arm than for radiation alone. Twenty-seven @entity1 (22%) were alive at last data analysis, with no evidence of disease (NED) from 2-51 months (30 months median). @entity1 with resection of gross disease before or after irradiation had a much better result than those with gross residual or without any resection, but the relative influence of @entity1 selection versus impact of surgery remains unclear.
