[Intraoperative radiotherapy in cancers of the pancreas and in recurrent colorectal cancers]

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate intraoperative radiotherapy in exocrine pancreatic cancer (n = 10) and in recurrent colorectal carcinoma (n = 11). Radiotherapy was delivered with electron beams (energy from 9 MeV to 20 MeV). Doses ranged from 15 Gy to 25 Gy. All patients with pancreatic cancer also received 40 Gy external beam irradiation and 5-Fluorouracil (500 mg/m2) and eight patients with recurrent colorectal carcinoma received postoperative external beam irradiation (20 Gy to 60 Gy). There were no postoperative deaths or complication. In pancreatic cancers, pain relief (7 cases) until death was observed in all cases. After palliative procedures (9 cases), the median survival time was 6 months (ranging from 4 months to 14 months). One patient is alive with a follow-up of 5 years and 6 months following total pancreatectomy. 5 patients with recurrent colorectal carcinoma, died with a median survival time of 13 months (ranging from 2 months to 25 months), and six patients are alive. Two of them have recurrence, and four are free of recurrence with a mean follow-up of 21 months (ranging from 3 months to 54 months). In conclusion, our results for pancreatic cancer agree with the disappointing results reported by other institutions. On the other hand, recurrence of colorectal carcinoma seems to be a good indication for intra-operative radiotherapy even when resection is incomplete.