The INTERACT Trial: Long-term results of a randomised trial on preoperative capecitabine-based radiochemotherapy intensified by concomitant boost or oxaliplatin, for cT2 (distal)-cT3 rectal cancer.

Background And Purpose: Capecitabine-based radiochemotherapy (cbRCT) is standard for preoperative long-course radiochemotherapy of locally advanced rectal cancer. This prospective, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial investigated two intensification regimens. cT4 lesions were excluded.

Stereotactic ablative radiation therapy as a potential curative treatment in duodenal adenocarcinoma: a case report.

Purpose: One of the rarest gastrointestinal neoplasm is small bowel cancer. Experience with its treatment modalities is limited. Stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) has improved, with image-guided radiation therapy becoming a curative option in many tumors.

Is two-dimensional field definition sufficient for pelvic node coverage in rectal cancer compared to technical three-dimensional definition?

Background And Aim: To assess the effectiveness of the potential advantages with 3-dimensional-based treatment planning versus 2-dimensional pelvic bone-based treatment planning in patients with rectal cancer, controlled for clinical stage.

Methods And Materials: Areas at risk from computed tomography in 30 patients were delineated: mesorectum, presacral, internal iliac, obturator and external iliac nodes. Two planning target volumes per patient were created: PTV_T3 (M + PSN + ON + IIN) and PTV_T4 (M + PSN + ON + IIN + EIN).

Clinical validation of atlas-based auto-segmentation of pelvic volumes and normal tissue in rectal tumors using auto-segmentation computed system.

Purpose: To evaluate in two different settings - clinical practice and education/training - the reliability, time efficiency and the ideal sequence of an atlas-based auto-segmentation system in pelvic delineation of locally advanced rectal cancer.

Methods: Fourteen consecutive patients were selected between October and December 2011. The images of four were used as an atlas and 10 used for validation.

Nomograms for predicting local recurrence, distant metastases, and overall survival for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer on the basis of European randomized clinical trials.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop accurate models and nomograms to predict local recurrence, distant metastases, and survival for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated with long-course chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgery and to allow for a selection of patients who may benefit most from postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and close follow-up.

Patients And Methods: All data (N = 2,795) from five major European clinical trials for rectal cancer were pooled and used to perform an extensive survival analysis and to develop multivariate nomograms based on Cox regression. Data from one trial was used as an external validation set.

Infusional 5-fluorouracil and ZD1839 (Gefitinib-Iressa) in combination with preoperative radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer: a phase I and II Trial (1839IL/0092).

Purpose: To report the final data of a Phase I and II study (1839IL/0092) on the combination of an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor drug (gefitinib), infusional 5-fluorouracil, and preoperative radiotherapy in locally advanced, resectable rectal cancer.

Methods And Materials: Patients received 45 Gy in the posterior pelvis plus a boost of 5.4 Gy on the tumor and corresponding mesorectum.

When can a drug be considered synergic with radiotherapy?

The combination of radiotherapy with chemotherapy is now considered the standard treatment for a number of tumors. However frequently, within radiotherapy as well as medical oncology, considerable skepticism has been expressed about the real impact of this therapeutic modality, in spite of the improvement in terms of outcome seen in numerous trials concerning head and neck, lung, esophageal cancer and tumors of the anal canal, the uterine cervix and pancreas. Considering the evident clinical advantages achieved in the last 2-3 decades, a close collaboration between basic, preclinical and clinical research is desirable to further optimize the outcomes based on the present radiobiological knowledge.