Short-term preoperative radiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer does not increase postoperative complications and improves the rate of sphincter-preserving surgery.

Purpose: The Swedish Rectal Cancer Trial (SRCT) demonstrated that a short term regimen of high-dose preoperative radiotherapy (RT) (5x5 Gy) not only reduces the risk for local recurrence, but also improves the overall survival rate. However, an increase in postoperative mortality and morbidity has also been observed. We, therefore, evaluated the early postoperative complications in patients treated with neoadjuvant RT for locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma.

Short-term preoperative radiotherapy is a safe approach for treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer.

Background And Aims: The Swedish Rectal Cancer Trial (SRCT) demonstrated that a short term regimen of high-dose preoperative radiotherapy (5x5 Gy) not only reduces the risk of local recurrence but also improves overall survival rate. An increase in postoperative mortality and morbidity has also been observed, however. We therefore evaluated early postoperative complications in patients treated with neoadjuvant radiotherapy for locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma.

Colorectal cancer trends by anatomic sides, age and staging. A twenty-year study of 1412 Greek cases.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Greek patients, suffering from colorectal adenocarcinoma, showed the same changes in the side distribution, as has been observed in the patients of many western countries. We retrospectively analysed 1412 consecutive cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma admitted to our institute over in a twenty-year period. The side distribution, the staging and the grade were evaluated in correlation with the age.