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Radiation Therapy: Adjuvant vs. Neoadjuvant Therapy

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Rectal Cancer

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Oncology ((CCO))

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Abstract

Historically, combined chemoradiotherapy has been shown to improve local control and overall survival rates compared to surgery alone in the adjuvant setting. The primary advantage of an adjuvant approach is improved patient selection based on operative and pathologic staging. Comparatively, a neoadjuvant approach decreases rates of acute and chronic toxicity, facilitates tumor downing staging in patients who might otherwise require abdominoperineal resection, and improves local control rates. This has been confirmed by recent randomized studies which demonstrated improved disease- and treatment-related outcomes using a neoadjuvant vs. adjuvant approach. Presently, ongoing studies are evaluating the integration of novel systemic agents in combination with radiation therapy in the neoadjuvant setting.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Therapy, University of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany

    Rolf Sauer MD

  2. Department of Radiation Therapy and Oncology, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany

    Claus Rödel MD

Authors
  1. Rolf Sauer MD
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  2. Claus Rödel MD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA

    Brian G. Czito

  2. Dept. Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA

    Christopher G. Willett

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© 2010 Humana Press

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Sauer, R., Rödel, C. (2010). Radiation Therapy: Adjuvant vs. Neoadjuvant Therapy. In: Czito, B., Willett, C. (eds) Rectal Cancer. Current Clinical Oncology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-567-5_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-567-5_13

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-60761-566-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-60761-567-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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