Combined preoperative chemotherapy with radiotherapy for lower rectal cancer

Objective To explore the effect of combined preoperative chemotherapy with radiotherapy for lower rectal carcinoma. Methods Seventy patients with lower rectal cancer were randomly divided into two groups. Thirty five patients in group A were treated with operation alone and other 35 patients in group B received combined chemotherapy of capecitabine with radiotherapy before operation. Results After neoadjuvant therapy,the tumors became smaller and more movable,and the distance from the lower edge of the tumor to the anal level was extended 0.8 to 1.5 cm. Postoperative pathological examination of surgical specimens revealed tumor tissue necrosis,paratumor infiltration disappearance,paratumor lymph node necrosis and blood vessel occlusion. The resection rates were 80.0%and 100%(P 0.05),anal preservation rates were 34.3%and 82.9%(P 0.01), and local recurrence rates were 17.9%and 0(P 0.05) respectively in group A and group B. Conclusion Combined preoperative chemotherapy with radiotherapy is a better neoadjuvant therapy for lower rectal carcinoma.