Thermoradiotherapy in the Treatment of Advanced Stomach Cancer: To compare the difference between the results of pre- and post-radiotherapy hyperthermia

Kay, Chul Seung; Choi, Ihl Bohng; Jang, Ji Young; Kim, In Ah

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve the therapeutic results of postoperative recurrent disease and inoperable disease of stomach cancer, we used the thermoradiotherapy. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the results and compared between the results of hyperthermia before radiotherapy and those of hyperthermia after radiotherapy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From july 1994 to november 1996, we treated twenty patients of locally advanced stomach cancer and recurrent stomach cancer with thermoradiotherapy. We divided those patients into two groups : hyperthermia before radiotherapy group (PreRT group : 13 patients) and hyperthermia after radiotherapy group (PostRT group : 7 patients). We performed radiation therapy to the total tumor dose of 3000-5040cGy in fraction of 180-300cGy and 5 fractions per week. Hyperthermia was performed with 8 MHz radiofrequency apparatus. We treated those patients everyday for thirty minutes within ten minutes before radiation therapy in PreRT group, and 1-2 sessions per week for 40-60 minutes within ten minutes after radiation therapy in PostRT group.
RESULTS
Overall response rate was 33.3%. This response rate was appeared same in both groups. Mean survival and 1 year survival rate were 10.3 months and 16.5%. In PreRT group, mean survival and 1 year survival rate were 6.8 months and 9.0%, and in PostRT group, mean survival and 1 year survival rate were 7.7 months and 34%. There were no statistical significant difference between the prognostic factors and therapeutic results.
CONCLUSION
The thermoradiotherapy was safe treatment method in advanced and recurrent gastric cancer when compared with other treatment. Because the number of patients we treated was small and the follow up period was short, we were not able to draw any conclusions about therapeutic efficacy of sequence of radiation therapy and hyperthermia Therefore, further clinical trial of thermoradiotherapy for stomach cancer appear to be warranted.