Patterns of failure and long-term results in high-risk resected gastric cancer treated with postoperative radiotherapy with or without intraoperative electron boost

BACKGROUND
To evaluate the possible role of adjuvant radiotherapy in the management of high-risk resected gastric carcinoma.

METHODS
From 1982 to 1993, 62 patients surgically resected of a primary gastric cancer with adverse pathological features (serosal and/or regional lymph node involvement) were treated with postoperative radiotherapy with (Group I) or without (Group II) intraoperative electron boost to the surgical bed and coeliac axis (IORT).

RESULTS
After a median follow-up of 75.6 months (range 4-120+) for IORT patients and 91.2 months (range 6-149+) for non-IORT patients, overall relapse rates for Group I and Group II patients were 44.5% and 48.6% and local-regional relapse rates were 11.1% and 20%, respectively. Actuarial survival rates projected at the maximum follow-up were 41% and 38% in Groups I and II, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
This retrospective analysis suggests a beneficial effect of adjuvant external radiotherapy in promoting local-regional control in high-risk resected gastric cancer.

CITA DEL ARTÍCULO J Surg Oncol. 1997 Sep;66(1):24-9