Image-guided high-dose-rate brachytherapy for rectal cancer: technical note and first clinical experience on an organ-preserving approach.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

As the population ages, the incidence of rectal cancer among elderly patients is rising. Due to the risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality, alternative nonoperative treatment options have been explored in elderly and frail patients who are clinically inoperable or refuse surgery.

Methods

Here we present technical considerations and first clinical experience after treating a cohort of six rectal cancer patients (T1‑3, N0‑1, M0; UICC stage I-IIIB) with definitive external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) followed by image-guided, endorectal high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT). Patients were treated with 10-13 × 3 Gy EBRT followed by HDR-BT delivering 12-18 Gy in two or three fractions. Tumor response was evaluated using endoscopy and magnetic resonance imaging of

SUBMITTER: Fleischmann M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9217888 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature