Postoperative radiation therapy for rectal cancer combined with UFT/leucovorin.

Overview

Postoperative combined-modality therapy with fluorouracil (5-FU) and radiation therapy is accepted practice for high-risk rectal cancer. Postoperative pelvic radiotherapy alone may improve pelvic control, but is not associated with an improvement in survival. Protracted infusional 5-FU has been associated with decreased tumor recurrence and improved survival when combined with postoperative adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy. The use of new drugs and alternative ways of administering 5-FU is desirable. UFT plus leucovorin is an oral 5-FU prodrug with efficacy equal to 5-FU plus leucovorin in metastatic colorectal cancer. A combination of postoperative adjuvant UFT plus leucovorin concurrent with radiation therapy should be feasible, and the design of an ongoing phase I trial is presented.