Can radiation therapy be a radical method of treating lateral metastases in rectal cancer?
https://doi.org/10.17238/2072-3180-2025-2-171-175
Abstract
Introduction. One of the reasons for unsatisfactory local control of rectal cancer may be metastatic lesions of the lateral pelvic lymph nodes. Eastern and Western strategies for preventing local recurrence of this disease have developed in different directions. If in Japan lateral lymph node dissection has become a mandatory addition to total mesorectumectomy, the Western concept relies on the sanitizing effect of preoperative irradiation of possible regional metastases.
Results. The article is a review of publications demonstrating the results of radiation exposure to the lymphatic collector of the lateral compartment of the pelvis in rectal cancer. The search for articles on the topic of the review was carried out using the Web of Science and PubMed databases. In the course of the literature analysis, 94 sources were studied, of which 30 were selected to form the review. Most of the presented publications indicate the need for surgical removal of enlarged lateral lymph nodes due to the inability of radiation therapy to reliably ensure complete regression of lymphogenous metastases.
Conclusions. The currently available data do not allow us to consider radiotherapy as a radical method of treating lateral pelvic metastases. However, further study of options for increasing the radiation load on this area may, to some extent, limit surgical aggression towards this lymph collector.
About the Authors
A. M. Karachun
N.N. Petrov National Medical Research Center of Oncology;
I.I. Mechnikov North-Western State Medical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Karachun Alexei Mikhailovich – Doct. Med. Sci., professor, head of the Department of Abdominal Oncology
197758, St. Petersburg, Pesochny, Leningradskaya Street, 68
D. V. Samsonov
N.N. Petrov National Medical Research Center of Oncology;
St. Petersburg S.M. Kirov Military Medical Academy
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Samsonov Denis Vladimirovich – Cand. Med. Sci., docent, oncologist
197758, St. Petersburg, Pesochny, Leningradskaya Street, 68
P. Yu. Grishko
N.N. Petrov National Medical Research Center of Oncology
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Grishko Pavel Yurievich – Cand. Med. Sci., researcher, Scientific Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology
197758, St. Petersburg, Pesochny, Leningradskaya Street, 68
D. V. Okonechnikova
N.N. Petrov National Medical Research Center of Oncology
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Okonechnikova Daria Victorovna – radiologist
197758, St. Petersburg, Pesochny, Leningradskaya Street, 68
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Review
For citations:
Karachun A.M., Samsonov D.V., Grishko P.Yu., Okonechnikova D.V. Can radiation therapy be a radical method of treating lateral metastases in rectal cancer? Moscow Surgical Journal. 2025;(2):171-175. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17238/2072-3180-2025-2-171-175
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