Anal cancer treated with radio-chemotherapy: correlation between length of treatment interruption and outcome.

Abstract

AIM:

The purpose of this study was the evaluation of the feasibility and outcome of definitive radio-chemotherapy without split-course technique but with individualised short treatment interruption in anal cancer patients.

METHOD:

Between 1993 and 2008, 101 patients with anal cancer were treated in our institution with definitive radio-chemotherapy with individualised short treatment interruptions. Treatment was halted independent of dose in case of acute grade 3 toxicities and started again until improvement. Short interruption was defined as completing treatment without exceeding six cumulative treatment days beyond a scheduled plan; otherwise, it was defined as prolonged interruption.

RESULTS:

Median overall treatment time was 47 days corresponding to an interruption of six cumulative treatment days. Fifty-one patients (50%) had treatment interruption of <or=6 days. No acute grade 4 toxicities were observed. One fatality occurred during treatment due to ileus-like symptoms according to acute grade 5 toxicity. After a median follow-up of 56 months, the 5-year actuarial rates for local control comparing patients with short vs. prolonged treatment interruption were 78% vs. 81% (p = 0.904) and, for colostomy-free survival, 83% vs. 85% (p = 0.784), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

Definitive radio-chemotherapy with short individualised treatment interruption shows high local control and colostomy-free survival rates.

• Authors: Stefan Janssen, Jürgen Meier zu Eissen, Gerd Kolbert, Michael Bremer, Johann Hinrich Karstens, Andreas Meyer
• Journal: International journal of colorectal disease (Int J Colorectal Dis) Vol. 24 Issue 12 Pg. 1421-8 (Dec 2009) ISSN: 1432-1262 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 19649642 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antineoplastic Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Anus Neoplasms (drug therapy, radiotherapy)
• Female
• Humans
• Kaplan-Meier Estimate
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Radiotherapy (adverse effects)
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome