Radiotherapy of gastrointestinal tumors

Based on the failure patterns of patients treated with surgical resection alone, the role of radiation therapy as an adjunct to surgical resection is discussed for tumors of the stomach, pancreas, colon, rectum, and anus. The rationale and data on treatment of anal cancers with radiation therapy and chemotherapy is discussed, as will the use of primary radiation therapy for small rectal cancers. Techniques for treatment of locally advanced tumors with combinations of external beam irradiation, surgical resection, and intraoperative radiation therapy are reviewed. The biologic rationale as well as the technical approaches for treating tumors of the gastrointestinal tract are described