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For a patient who has undergone preoperative chemoradiation to 50Gy for locally advanced rectal cancer followed by LAR or APR, would you treat a positive margin with radiation therapy?

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Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

No. The majority are still controlled locally even with a positive margin. The cells seen on histologic evaluation may be clonogenicly dead. After an 8-12 week interval, there is not much that can be done with more irridation anyway. Previuosly irradiated fixed bowel could be in the field. Furthermo...

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Mednet Member
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Radiation Oncology · Renown Health Institute for Cancer

This is somewhat controversial, IORT if available should be considered for very close or positive margins. If IORT is not available 10-20Gy external beam radiation to a limited volume soon after surgery. Image guidance is an issue though and discussion with surgeon should be done to delineate target...

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