Chemoradiotherapy

Preoperative radiotherapy was performed with an 18-MV X-ray beam delivered by a linear accelerator (Clinac 2100C, Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA), using the four-field technique. Irradiation was carried out once (1.8 or 2 Gy) daily, until reaching a total dose of 40–45 Gy.

Surgery was done 6–8 weeks after the completion of radiotherapy. Concomitant chemotherapy was started at the same time as radiotherapy. Fifteen patients received oral uracil/tegafur (400 mg/m²), and 134 received oral S-1 (80 mg/m²). Oral uracil/tegafur was given for 5 days, followed by a 2-day rest. This cycle was repeated. Oral S-1 was given for 2 consecutive weeks followed by a 1-week rest and then was given for 2 more weeks [25, 26].