comparison of 5fu-base chemoradiation with and without eloxatin on pathologic complete response in neoadjuvant chemoradiation of rectal cancer

background and objectives: to compare pathologic complete response (pcr) in patients with advanced rectal cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nact) by 5-fu or xeloda (capecitabine) with and without eloxatin (oxaloplatin injection). materials and methods: seventy-five consecutive patients with the diagnosis of advanced rectal adenocarcinoma were included. two basic chemotherapy regimens were used: one drug (5-fu or xeloda) or two-drug (5-u or xeloda with eloxatin). endpoints were pcr and preservation of sphincter during surgery through low anterior resection (lar). all analyses were done using spss software version 17.0 (spss inc., chicago, il). results: there were no significant differences between the group of patients who received one-drug regimen with those who received two-drug regimen regarding the pcr (four cases (23.5%) versus 25 vases (43.1%)) state or the type of surgery performed [nine cases (52.9%) versus 36 cases (62.1%)]. conclusion: adding eloxatin to the standard treatment of rectal adenocarcinoma (5-fu based) did not yield in a higher pcr or a higher chance to preserve the anal sphincter.