Patterns of Pelvic Radiotherapy in Patients with Stage IIIII Rectal Cancer

Abstract EN

High-level evidence supports adjuvant radiotherapy for rectal cancer.

We examined the influence of sociodemographic factors on patterns of adjuvant radiotherapy for resected Stage II/III rectal cancer.

Methods.

Patients undergoing surgical resection for stage II/III rectal cancer were identified in SEER registry.

Results.

A total of 21,683 patients were identified.

Majority of patients were male (58.8%), white (83%), and with stage III (54.9%) and received radiotherapy (66%).

On univariate analysis, male gender, stage III, younger age, year of diagnosis, and higher socioeconomic status (SES) were associated with radiotherapy.

Radiotherapy was delivered in 84.4% of patients <50; however, only 32.8% of those are >80 years.

Logistic regression demonstrated a significant increase in the use of radiotherapy in younger patients who are <50 (OR, 10.3), with stage III (OR, 1.21), males (OR, 1.18), and with higher SES.

Conclusions.

There is a failure to conform to standard adjuvant radiotherapy in one-third of patients, and this is associated with older age, stage II, area-level of socioeconomic deprivation, and female sex.