Regional hyperthermia added to intensified preoperative chemo-radiation in locally advanced adenocarcinoma of middle and lower rectum

Purpose: To evaluate the safety of delivering pre-operative regional hyperthermia ( HT) plus an intensified chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) regimen in patients suffering from locally advanced rectal cancer. Methods: Between June 2000 and April 2006, 76 patients with locally advanced (cT3-4 N0/+) rectal adenocarcinoma were treated with HT plus CRT. HT was given once a week, to a total of five treatments, 1 to4 h after radiotherapy (50 Gy with 2-Gy fractions for 5 weeks, plus a 10-Gy boost on the tumour bed, with the same fractionation schedule). Chemotherapy consisted in 5FU 200 mg/m