PATTERNS OF FAILURE AND LONG-TERM RESULTS IN HIGH-RISK RESECTED GASTRIC-CANCER TREATED WITH POSTOPERATIVE RADIOTHERAPY WITH OR WITHOUT INTRAOPERATIVE ELECTRON BOOST

Background: To evaluate the possible role of adjuvant radiotherapy in the management of high-risk resected gastric carcinoma. Methods: From 1982 to 1993, 62 patients surgically resected of a primary gastric can cer with adverse pathological features (serosal and/or regional lymph node involvement) were treated with postoperative radiotherapy with (G roup I) or without (Group Il) intraoperative electron boost to the sur gical bed and coeliac axis (IORT). Results: After a median follow-up o f 75.6 months (range 4-120+) for IORT patients and 91.2 months (range 6-149+) for non-IORT patients, overall relapse rates for Group I and G roup II patients were 44.5% and 48.6% and local-regional relapse rates were 11.1% and 20%, respectively. Actuarial survival rates projected al the maximum follow-up were 41% and 38% in Groups I and II, respecti vely.Conclusions: This retrospective analysis suggests a beneficial ef fect of adjuvant external radiotherapy in promoting local-regional con trol in high-risk resected gastric cancer. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.