New method of modified chemoradiotherapy for cancer of the upper and middle ampullary rectum

The last decade is characterized by significant progress in the treatment of rectal cancer (reduction in the number of relapses to 5–6 % with the use of prolonged radiation therapy) before surgery. The greatest success has been achieved in the treatment of cancer of the lower ampulla of the rectum, when it is possible to develop a complete clinical response of the rectal tumor to chemoradiotherapy. Nevertheless, the requirement issues to improve the results of treatment of cancer of the upper and middle ampullar rectum with an increase in the survival of patients remain. Which makes it relevant to develop new methods, that increase the effectiveness of the treatment of rectal cancer.

The method of modified chemoradiotherapy for cancer of the upper ampulla of the rectum was developed in our study. The method is as follows: at the first stage, one day before the start of radiation therapy, the patient undergoes superselective catheterization of the superior rectal artery through the radial or femoral artery, followed by regional administration of radiomodifying chemotherapy drugs: cisplatin 50 mg and fluorouracil 500 mg. In one day, patients begin to undergo a course of conformal remote large- fraction radiation therapy to the primary focus and metastasis pathways for 5 sessions with a single focal dose of 5 Gy to a total focal dose of 25 Gy using a low-energy linear accelerator. During the entire course of radiation therapy, fluorouracil 500 mg is administered daily intravenously for 30 minutes in 30 minutes before the session. Surgical intervention with the sampling of material for research is carried out 6–8 weeks after the radiation therapy is completed. To assess the effectiveness of the modified chemoradiotherapy, the stage of tumor regression was determined according to the RECIST scale, and the level of therapeutic pathomorphology of the tumor according to Dworak was determined during a morphological study of the rectal tumor removed during the operation.

The developed method of modified chemoradiotherapy makes it possible to achieve regression of the rectal tumor in a short time, reduce the time and increase the effectiveness of treatment. The method of modified chemoradiotherapy is intended for patients with cancer of the upper and middle ampullar rectum T3-4N0-2M0, for whom radiation therapy is indicated as the first stage of treatment, after which resection of the rectum is performed in a standard volume.

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