INDUCTION THERAPY FOR RECTAL-CARCINOMA

Induction, or preoperative therapy for octal carcinoma, is a controver sial topic which appears to have clinical utility in a number of disti nct settings that range from early stage to locally advanced disease. Common to all treatment scenarios is the intent of reducing the likeli hood of recurrence in the pelvis following surgery. An additional and evolving role is a reduction in the extent of surgery following a comp lete or partial clinical response to the induction regimen. While radi ation as a single modality can lead to downstaging and, perhaps, a red uction in local recurrence, combined modality with 5-fluorouracil (5-F U) and radiation appears to have a greater therapeutic benefit that ma y be further enhanced by the administration of leucovorin. Semin. Surg . Oncol. 15:120-125, 1998. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.