Seminars in Colon & Rectal Surgery
Volume 18, Issue 1 , Pages 3-8 , March 2007

Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Rectal Carcinoma

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 Fry RD, Fleshman JW, Kodner IJ. Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Rectal Carcinoma. Seminars in Colon and Rectal Surgery. 1:37-43, 1990

 Radiation therapy as part of overall treatment of rectal cancer has certainly assumed a more prominent role due to the significant reduction of locoregional recurrence in radiated patients. The group at Washington University in St. Louis has been a pioneer in the routine application of radiation preoperatively in all patients with cancer of the rectum, although not based on randomized prospective study. This article characterizes the available literature at the time and compares the rationale and results of preoperative versus postoperative and sandwich radiotherapy; this discussion persists to this day, with the same early experience as the basis upon which decisions have rested.

PII: S1043-1489(06)00110-2

doi: 10.1053/j.scrs.2006.12.003

Seminars in Colon & Rectal Surgery
Volume 18, Issue 1 , Pages 3-8 , March 2007

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