ADJUVANT POSTOPERATIVE ACCELERATED HYPERFRACTIONATED RADIOTHERAPY IN RECTAL-CANCER - A FEASIBILITY STUDY

Purpose: To assess the acute toxicity and hence feasability of postope rative hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy in rectal cancer. Me thods and Materials: Twenty patients were submitted to accelerated hyp erfractionated radiotherapy after resection of rectal cancer. A total dose of 48 Gy was given in 3 weeks. Two fractions of 1.6 Gy were used with a mean interfraction interval of at least 6 hours. The pelvic vol ume was treated by a four-field box technique using a linear accelerat or (6-18 MV). Acute toxicity was assessed once per week. Small bowel a nd skin toxicity were scored according to the criteria of the World He alth Organization. Bladder toxicity was scored according to the criter ia of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. Results: All the patients underwent the treatment as planned except one. No patient presented gr ade 3 or 4 bladder toxicity. There was only one patient who complained from grade 3 skin toxicity at the end of the treatment. Fourteen pati ents had some degree of intestinal toxicity. This was the most frequen tly occurring acute side-effect. Only two out of the fourteen patients had intestinal toxicity exceeding grade 2. Conclusion: Hyperfractiona ted accelerated radiotherapy on a pelvic volume is feasable as far as acute toxicity is concerned.