In a nutshell
This study investigated the effectiveness of radiation therapy (RT) after surgery in patients with T4 (cancer that has grown outside of the colon outer layer and invades the surrounding tissues) colon cancer. Researchers suggested that RT improved overall survival in these patients.
Some background
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. The standard treatment is surgery followed by chemotherapy (in more advanced cases). RT is typically not recommended due to limitations in targeting distant tumors. This therapy consists of applying radiation to specific areas of the body to kill cancer cells.
Sometimes radiation is delivered if the risk of local recurrence is high. However, the role of RT remains poorly studied, without guidelines for when it should be given.
Methods & findings
This study included information about 23325 patients with T4 colon cancer. Of these, 1711 patients (7%) underwent RT after surgery. The average follow-up period was 36 months. Factors such as complications after surgery and younger age were predictive of radiation.
Patients who received RT had an improved overall survival (66 months) when compared to non-RT-treated patients (47 months). Patients who received RT had a 14% improvement in the odds of a better overall survival.
Some factors were indicative of worse survival. These factors were older age, after surgery complications, lower income, government insurance, and the combination of T4 tumor and positive margins after surgery (when cancer cells remain in the apparently healthy tissue surrounding the tumor).
The bottom line
This study concluded that RT was associated with improved overall survival in patients with T4 colon cancer.
The fine print
This study was based on information from medical records. Data may have been missing. Further studies are needed.
Published By :
Annals of Surgical Oncology
Date :
Nov 12, 2019
