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What is the preferred palliative regimen for elderly patients with rectal cancer who elect to forego surgery?

Is concurrent chemoradiation reasonable or excessive in a patient with life expectancy <5 yrs? Should the standard be 5 Gy x 5, and will this provide durable local control?
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How do you palliate bulky rectal cancer causing bleeding and pain?

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3 Answers
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Radiation Oncology · Fox Chase Cancer Center
Answered on

This is a question that comes up somewhat frequently and I don't believe really has a definitive answer. I myself have used multiple regimens in this situation. I think it really depends on the performance status and life expectancy of the particular patient. This is also a topic that may bring out ...

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Radiation Oncology · University of Vermont Cancer Center
Answered on

I agree with @Dr. First Last’s points, and I also often favor RT alone to 25 Gy in 5 fractions for the majority of my poor performance status non-surgical elderly rectal cancer patients who may benefit from palliative RT as it is typically safe, brief, and effective. Involving the patient’s care tea...

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Medical Oncology · OHSU Knight-Legacy Health Cancer Collaborative
Answered on

The preferred palliative regimen for elderly patients with rectal cancer who elect to forego surgery depends on various factors such as the patient's overall health, and comorbidities. In general, palliative treatment aims to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life for the patient.

Patients w...

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