BACKGROUND: The Stockholm II trial is a population-based prospective randomized trial on preoperative radiotherapy in @entity189 . METHODS: Eligibility criteria were age younger than 80 years and biopsy-proven @entity188 judged resectable for cure with an abdominal procedure. Between 1987 and 1993, 557 @entity1 were included. @entity1 were randomized to preoperative radiotherapy (RT+) followed by surgery within a week (n = 272) or surgery alone (RT-; n = 285). Radiotherapy was given with 25 grays in 1 week to the rectum and pararectal tissues. Curative resection was performed in 481 @entity1 (86%). Median follow-up was 8.8 years. RESULTS: Among @entity1 who underwent curative surgery, the incidence of pelvic recurrence was 12% (RT+) and 25% (RT-), respectively (P < 0.001). The overall survival rate in irradiated @entity1 who underwent curative surgery was improved (46%) versus (39%; P < 0.03). For all included @entity1 , the difference was 39% (RT+) compared with 36% (RT-; P = 0.2). Within 6 months of surgery, 13 of 272 (5%) of the irradiated @entity1 died of intercurrent disease versus 4 of 285 (1%) of the nonirradiated (P = 0.02). @entity65 was the main cause of intercurrent @entity204 and occurred in 35 of 272 (13%) of the irradiated @entity1 compared with 20 of 285 (7%) among the nonirradiated (P = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative short-term radiotherapy reduces the risk of pelvic recurrence and can improve survival after curative surgery for @entity189 . An increased risk of intercurrent @entity204 may reduce the benefit especially in elderly @entity1 .

The Stockholm II trial on preoperative radiotherapy in XXXX : long-term follow-up of a population-based study.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients'] @entity189 :: ('MESH:D002277', 'Disease') :: ['rectal carcinoma'] @entity188 :: ('MESH:D012004', 'Disease') :: ['adenocarcinoma of the rectum'] @entity204 :: ('MESH:D003643', 'Disease') :: ['death'] @entity65 :: ('MESH:D002318', 'Disease') :: ['Cardiovascular death']
@entity189 :: (MESH:D002277,Disease) :: ['rectal carcinoma']
