Role of Radiation Treatment for Rectal Cancer

Radiotherapy may be delivered before or after a potentially curative operation (adjuvant treatment). For some patients who cannot undergo an operation, radiotherapy may be offered as the primary treatment. Radiotherapy may also be used to reduce some local symptoms (pain and or bleeding) caused by incurable rectal cancer that has recurred in the pelvis or spread to other organs.

Indications

Adjuvant radiotherapy is recommended in patients with tumours that have penetrated through the wall of the rectum and/or have spread to lymph nodes. It is often given before surgery and in combination with chemotherapy. It may occasionally be given after surgery.

Primary radiotherapy is recommended only for patients who cannot undergo potentially curative surgery. Many patients with incurable cancer causing local symptoms may benefit from palliative radiotherapy.

Benefits

Adjuvant radiotherapy reduces the risk of the disease recurring in the pelvis. Many patients are cured with combination radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery. Primary radiotherapy can cure some patients with rectal cancer but the results are not as good as surgery alone or in combination with radiotherapy. Palliative radiotherapy is an effective treatment option to reduce local symptoms cause by incurable cancers.

How to Make a Referral

Patients with gastrointestinal cancer may be referred to one of the radiation oncologists in the Site Group either through the departmental referral process or by contacting one of the physicians directly.

This page was last updated August 31st, 2010 at 9:17am.