Effect of Chemotherapy Combined with Radiotherapy for Elderly Patients with Locally Advanced Colorectal Cancer

OBJECTIVE To investigate efficacy and adverse reactions of FOLFOX 4 chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy for elderly patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer. METHODS From Jun 2011 to Jun 2012, 43 cases of locally advanced colorectal cancer were hospitalized and then randomly divided into two groups: 22 in the treatment group and 21 in the control group. Both two groups were given FOLFOX 4 chemotherapy, while the treatment group given radiotherapy at the same time. Then evaluated the short-term effect on the lesion site by CT and the quality of life of patients by EORTC-QLQ-CR29 scale after 3 months of treatment. RESULTS The efficient in treatment group was higher than that in control group(P=0.023), and disease control rate was 86.36% in treatment group, higher than 42.86% in control group. Compared with control group, patients with anxiety eased by chemotherapy with radiotherapy(P=0.015), bowel incontinence symptoms had some improvement(P=0.044), dry mouth symptom relieved(P=0.009), there were statistically significance. However, the figure in the functional dimensions and weight had no significant change(P>0.05). The symptom included frequent urination, blood in the stool and mucus, frequent bowel movements, difficulty urinating, abdominal pain, hip pain, bloating, hair loss, dysgeusia, flatulence, bowel incontinence, ostomy care of the problem, perianal skin pain and defecation embarrassment had no significant difference between two groups(P>0.05). After 20 months, survival rate of the treatment group was 77.27% while 61.9% in the control group. CONCLUSION For elderly patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer, radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy is the best therapy.