A pilot study of continuous, hyperfractionated, accelerated radiotherapy in rectal adenocarcinoma

This pilot study investigated the feasibility, toxicity and effect of conti nuous, hyperfractionated, accelerated radiotherapy (CHART) in 19 patients w ith adenocarcinoma of the rectum who were treated at Mount Vernon Hospital between April 1992 and April 1994. A total dose of 54 Gy was given in 36 fr actions over 12 consecutive days; three fractions of 1.5 Gy were employed e ach day with an interfraction interval of 6 hours. Of these 19 patients, 13 had local pelvic recurrence from rectal carcinoma, four had a primary rectal carcinoma (which was unsuitable for abdominoperi neal resection because of patient frailty), and two had large, fixed, unres ectable tumours and were given radiotherapy preoperatively to a lower dose of 42 Cy in 28 fractions over 10 days to facilitate surgery. However, none of the 19 patients subsequently underwent surgical resection. Treatment compliance with radiotherapy was 95%. Acute bowel toxicity was as sessed by means of a daily bowel chart for 6 weeks and then at 8, 12 and 26 weeks after the completion of radiotherapy. Patients were subsequently sco red using the World Health Organization (WHO) grading system. No toxic deat hs were observed in this study. There were five grade 3 and one grade 4 tox icities (WHO scale) observed in six patients. There has been minimal acute bladder toxicity in two patients and skin reactions have been surprisingly minimal in all but three patients. Small bowel obstruction and late bowel d amage, possibly attributable to radiotherapy, occurred in three patients. Complete pain relief was achieved in recurrent rectal cancer in 100% of pat ients, at a median of 15 days since commencing radiotherapy (range 7-63 day s), and has been maintained for mean and median durations of 19 and 18 mont hs respectively (range 1.5-45 months). Five patients have had a recurrence of pain at 3, 4, 8, 9 and 18 months respectively. All four patients with pr imary rectal adenocarcinoma achieved a complete response, which has been su stained for 4 months (until death), 54 and 57 months, although one patient relapsed locally at 8 months. In summary, CHART appears to be a feasible treatment for pelvic tumours wit h regard to toxicity. Patients with pain from a locoregional recurrence ach ieved rapid complete pain relief, which was sustained for many months.