The US Perspective

Material Courtesy of The University of Florida, College of Medicine

Endocavitary irradiation ("contact therapy")  is a specialised method of delivering a very high dose of radiation therapy to a very small volume of tissue. It is an effective treatment for early-stage rectal adenocarcinoma that is limited to the submucosa, with a probability of cure in the range of 90%.

The treatment is given with a hand-guided X-ray tube that delivers 50 kVp radiation, which penetrates to a depth of approximately 1 cm. The treatment is given through a Proctoscope that is designed to be used with the treatment machine. This specialised equipment is available in a very few radiation oncology departments throughout the United States and no machine is currently available commercially. 

The treatment technique was initially developed in France, where Dr. William Mendenhall studied with Dr. Jean Papillon, one of the originators of the technique, to learn how to deliver this form of therapy.