Acute Side Effects and Complications After Short-Term Preoperative Radiotherapy Combined With Total Mesorectal Excision in Primary Rectal Cancer: Report of a Multicenter Randomized Trial

PURPOSE: Total mesorectal excision (TME) surgery in the treatment of rectal cancer has been shown to result in a reduction in the number of local recurrences in retrospective studies. Reports on improved local control after preoperative, hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) have led to the introduction of a prospective randomized multicenter trial, in which the effect of TME surgery with or without preoperative RT were evaluated. Any benefit in regard to a reduced local recurrence rate and possible improved survival must be weighed against potential adverse effects in both the short-term and the long-term. The present study was undertaken to assess the acute side effects of short-term, preoperative RT in rectal cancer patients and to study the influence of five doses of 5 Gy on surgical parameters, postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients randomized in the Dutch TME trial.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 1,530 Dutch patients entered onto a prospective randomized trial, comparing preoperative RT with five doses of 5 Gy followed by TME surgery with TME surgery alone, of which 1,414 patients were assessable. Toxicity from RT, surgery characteristics, and postoperative complications and mortality were compared.

RESULTS: Toxicity during RT hardly occurred. Irradiated patients had 100 mL more blood loss during the operation (P < .001) and showed more perineal complications (P = .008) in cases of abdominoperineal resection. The total number of complications was slightly increased in the irradiated group (P = .008). No difference was observed in postoperative mortality (4.0% v 3.3%) or in the number of reinterventions.

CONCLUSION: Preoperative hypofractionated RT is a safe procedure in patients treated with TME surgery, despite a slight increase in complications when compared with TME surgery only.