Purpose : To report cases of advanced rectal cancer that showed significant responses after
administration of preoperative chemoradiation therapy.
Methods : 5-Fluorouracil（5-FU, 300mg//day）was administered by 24-hour continuous intravenous
infusion after cancers had been decreased in size by radiation（2Gy）administered
for 20 days preoperatively. All patients then underwent low anterior resection with lymph
node dissection（two cases had super-low anterior resection）.
Results : Clinical stages of all patients were down-staged preoperatively. All of operations
resulted in a curative resection of the cancer cells macroscopically. In one, histological examination
revealed no residual cancer cells in the resected specimen（CR）.
Conclusion : Preoperative chemoradiation therapy was demonstrated as a promising regimen
for patients with advanced lower rectal cancer, and should be considered to extend indications
for even laparoscopic operations for advanced rectal cancer; a therapy tailor made for advanced
rectal cancer
