Observational studyThe British journal of radiology2017
Dose escalation using contact X-ray brachytherapy (Papillon) for rectal cancer: does it improve the chance of organ preservation?
Observational study in The British journal of radiology, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04336202 (A Pilot Study of Dose-escalation Strategy of Radiotherapy Followed by Endorectal Brachytherapy With the Use of a New Rectal Applicator in Inoperable, Ederly Rectal Cancer Patients), which is not on this map. Cited by 19 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
A Pilot Study of Dose-escalation Strategy of Radiotherapy Followed by Endorectal Brachytherapy With the Use of a New Rectal Applicator in Inoperable, Ederly Rectal Cancer Patients
Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Clinical Prediction Models for Contact X-Ray Brachytherapy in Managing Rectal Cancers: A Scoping Review.Cancer medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Systematic Review of Intensity-Modulated Brachytherapy (IMBT): Static and Dynamic Techniques.International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics · 2019Pooled it
- THeragnostic utilities for neoplastic DisEases of the rectum by MRI guided radiotherapy (THUNDER 2) phase II trial: interim safety analysis.Radiation oncology (London, England) · 2023Trial
- Article
- Investigation of changes in planning target volume and regression probability of rectal boost using in-silico cone-beam computed tomography-guided online-adaptive radiotherapy.Physics and imaging in radiation oncology · 2025Article
- Long-Term Outcomes of Patients with Poor Prognostic Factors Following Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEMS) for Early Rectal Cancer.Biomedicines · 2025Article
- E-Brachy: New dosimetry package for electronic brachytherapy sources.Medical physics · 2025Article
- Article
- Organ Preservation in MSS Rectal Cancer.Clinics in colon and rectal surgery · 2023Review
- Complication and response assessment of high-dose-rate endorectal brachytherapy boost in neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy of locally advanced rectal cancer with long-term outcomes.Journal of contemporary brachytherapy · 2023Article
- Planned organ preservation for elderly patients with rectal cancer using short course radiotherapy and a contact brachytherapy boost-an International multi-institution analysis.Clinical and translational radiation oncology · 2023Article
- Review
- GEC ESTRO ACROP consensus recommendations for contact brachytherapy for rectal cancer.Clinical and translational radiation oncology · 2022Article
- The "Immunoscore" in rectal cancer: could we search quality beyond quantity of life?Oncotarget · 2022Article
- Contact X-ray Brachytherapy for Older or Inoperable Rectal Cancer Patients: Short-Term Oncological and Functional Follow-Up.Cancers · 2021Article
- Evaluation and Predictive Factors of Complete Response in Rectal Cancer after Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Therapy.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2021Review
- Article
- A Review on the Special Radiotherapy Techniques of Colorectal Cancer.Frontiers in oncology · 2019Review
- Watch-and-Wait as a Therapeutic Strategy in Rectal Cancer.Current colorectal cancer reports · 2018Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveA watch and wait policy for patients with a clinical complete response (cCR) after external beam chemoradiotherapy (EBCRT) for rectal cancer is an attractive option. However, approximately one-third of tumours will regrow, which requires surgical salvage for cure. We assessed whether contact X-ray brachytherapy (CXB) can improve organ preservation by avoiding surgery for local regrowth.
methodsFrom our institutional database, we identified 200 of 573 patients treated by CXB from 2003 to 2012. Median age was 74 years (range 32-94), and 134 (67%) patients were males. Histology was confirmed in all patients and was staged using CT scan, MRI or endorectal ultrasound. All patients received combined CXB and EBCRT, except 17 (8.5%) who had CXB alone.
resultsInitial cCR was achieved in 144/200 (72%) patients. 38/56 (68%) patients who had residual tumour received immediate salvage surgery. 16/144 (11%) patients developed local relapse after cCR, and 124/144 (86%) maintained cCR. At median follow up of 2.7 years, 161 (80.5%) patients were free of cancer. The main late toxicity was bleeding (28%). Organ preservation was achieved in 124/200 (62%) patients.
conclusionOur data suggest that CXB can reduce local regrowth to 11% compared with around 30% after EBCRT alone. Organ preservation of 62% achieved was higher than reported in most published watch and wait studies. Advances in knowledge: CXB is a promising treatment option to avoid salvage surgery for local regrowth, which can improve the chance of organ preservation in patients who are not suitable for or refuse surgery.
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