As found for other solid tumors, hemoglobin level was a determining factor in the prognosis for treatment outcome in patients with esophageal carcinoma. Our findings require confirmation in randomized studies and further documentation of the probable benefits of correcting hemoglobin levels.

• Propósito: analizar los resultados del tratamiento radioterápico sin quimioterapia tras cirugía radical en cáncer rectal. • Results: With a median follow-up of 76.64 months, the actuarial cancer-specific and diseasefree survival rates were 60.5 % and 58.1 %, respectively. Local control at 5 years was 66.6 %, and distant control 80.1 %. Acute toxicity incidence was 73.7 %. No grade 3-4 toxicity was produced, and it was not necessary to interrupt radiation therapy or hospitalization because of toxicity. Late grade 3 toxicity appeared in 5.3 % of the patients. • Conclusions: Patients with B2-C stage rectal cancer in which chemotherapy is not possible, can receive postoperative radiotherapy alone considering its low toxicity and good results.

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Aims and background To analyze the possible correlation between hemoglobin concentration and the appearance of acute radiotherapy-induced toxicity. Methods We prospectively studied hemoglobin levels and acute radiotherapy-induced toxicity in 86 patients treated for 3 months. Both sexes were considered to have anemia if their hemoglobin level was ≤12 g/dL. No patient received corrective treatment for hemoglobin levels. Acute toxicity was analyzed weekly during radiotherapy and 45 days after therapy ended. The possible relationship between anemia and toxicity was analyzed, as was the correlation between hemoglobin values and the degree of toxicity. Results The findings were similar for all prognostic factors in patients with and without anemia. Hemoglobin concentration was ≤12 g/dL in 24 patients (27.9%; mean, 10.93 ± 0.78 g/dL). At the end of radiotherapy, hemoglobin levels were ≤12 g/dL in 18 patients (20.9%; mean, 11.26 ± 1.06 g/dL). The correlation between pretherapy and posttherapy hemoglobin concentration was significant at r = 0.729 (P = 0.01). The correlation between absolute hemoglobin values and the degree of toxicity, and the possible relationship between hemoglobin concentration and the appearance or the degree of toxicity after radiotherapy, was not significant. Conclusions The relationship between hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation of the tumor and healthy tissues was not linear. This may account for the influence of hemoglobin levels on control of the disease as reported in earlier studies, but it does not account for their influence on acute toxicity after radiotherapy.

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