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Colorectal-Specific Radiation Dose and Chemotherapy Risk for Subsequent Colorectal Malignancies in Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) Report.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Owens, CA; Ludmir, EB; Liu, Q; Qiu, W; Gupta, AC; Smith, SA; Rigaud, B; Brock, KK; Bates, JE; Meyers, TG; Paulino, AC; Peterson, CB; Kry, SF ...
Published in: J Clin Oncol
November 2025

PURPOSE: Among childhood cancer survivors, we evaluated not previously explored relationships between colorectal subsequent malignant neoplasm (SMN) incidence and colorectum-specific radiation dose metrics currently used in radiation therapy (RT) planning and expanded upon previously reported chemotherapy associations. METHODS: The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) includes 5-year survivors of childhood cancer diagnosed between 1970 and 1999. RT was assessed as mean colorectal dose (MCD) and the percent volume (VX Gy) receiving ≥5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 Gy. Chemotherapy was assessed as cumulative doses for procarbazine and platinum agents, cyclophosphamide-equivalent doses for alkylating agents, and doxorubicin-equivalent doses for anthracyclines. Piecewise-exponential models and excess rate ratio (ERR) models evaluated dose-response relationships for the incidence of colorectal SMNs. Reference groups were those not receiving the assessed treatment(s). RESULTS: Among 25,723 survivors (median follow-up = 28.5 years; range = 5.0-48.9), 104 colorectal SMNs were identified. A dose-response relationship was observed between MCD and colorectal SMN rates; incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for 10 to <20 Gy and ≥20 Gy were 3.6 (95% CI, 1.9 to 6.9) and 8.3 (95% CI, 3.9 to 17.8), respectively. When ≥20% of the colorectum volume was irradiated, IRRs increased with increasing volume. The V20 Gy IRRs were 3.8 (95% CI, 1.9 to 7.6), 4.9 (95% CI, 2.0 to 12.0), and 8.7 (95% CI, 3.5 to 21.6) for irradiated volumes of 20% to <40%, 40% to <80%, and ≥80%, respectively. The IRR was 1.8 (95% CI, 1.0 to 3.0) for doxorubicin-equivalent dose ≥250 mg/m2, 3.7 (95% CI, 2.2 to 6.4) for cyclophosphamide-equivalent dose ≥6,000 mg/m2, and 4.5 (95% CI, 2.0 to 10.1) for platinum dose ≥450 mg/m2. For procarbazine dose, the IRR was 6.3 (95% CI, 3.0 to 13.2) for 4,200 to <7,036 mg/m2 and 9.0 (95% CI, 4.3 to 18.9) for ≥7,036 mg/m2. In the absence of RT, colorectal SMN rates increased with exposure to any platinum-based agent (IRR, 3.8 [95% CI, 1.1 to 12.7]), alkylator (IRR, 4.8 [95% CI, 1.6 to 14.4]), or procarbazine (IRR, 16.9 [95% CI, 5.9 to 48.8]). Colorectal SMN rates increased linearly with procarbazine dose (ERR per 1,000 mg/m2 = 73.0 [95% CI, 26.4% to 119.6%]) and MCD (ERR per 1 Gy = 20.8 [95% CI, 9.0% to 32.5%]). Quadratic ERR models did not improve data fit compared with linear ERR models. CONCLUSION: These RT and chemotherapy dose-response relationships can better inform contemporary RT planning for pediatric patients and surveillance guidelines for high-risk survivors.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Clin Oncol

DOI

EISSN

1527-7755

Publication Date

November 2025

Volume

43

Issue

31

Start / End Page

3403 / 3421

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Radiotherapy Dosage
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced
  • Male
  • Infant
  • Incidence
  • Humans
  • Female
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Owens, C. A., Ludmir, E. B., Liu, Q., Qiu, W., Gupta, A. C., Smith, S. A., … Howell, R. M. (2025). Colorectal-Specific Radiation Dose and Chemotherapy Risk for Subsequent Colorectal Malignancies in Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) Report. J Clin Oncol, 43(31), 3403–3421. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO-25-00531
Owens, Constance A., Ethan B. Ludmir, Qi Liu, Weiyu Qiu, Aashish C. Gupta, Susan A. Smith, Bastien Rigaud, et al. “Colorectal-Specific Radiation Dose and Chemotherapy Risk for Subsequent Colorectal Malignancies in Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) Report.J Clin Oncol 43, no. 31 (November 2025): 3403–21. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO-25-00531.
Owens, Constance A., et al. “Colorectal-Specific Radiation Dose and Chemotherapy Risk for Subsequent Colorectal Malignancies in Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) Report.J Clin Oncol, vol. 43, no. 31, Nov. 2025, pp. 3403–21. Pubmed, doi:10.1200/JCO-25-00531.
Owens CA, Ludmir EB, Liu Q, Qiu W, Gupta AC, Smith SA, Rigaud B, Brock KK, Bates JE, Meyers TG, Paulino AC, Peterson CB, Kry SF, Teepen JC, Ronckers CM, Neglia JP, Leisenring WM, Oeffinger KC, Nathan PC, Turcotte LM, Hodgson DC, Hudson MM, Robison LL, Moskowitz CS, Armstrong GT, Henderson TO, Yasui Y, Howell RM. Colorectal-Specific Radiation Dose and Chemotherapy Risk for Subsequent Colorectal Malignancies in Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) Report. J Clin Oncol. 2025 Nov;43(31):3403–3421.

Published In

J Clin Oncol

DOI

EISSN

1527-7755

Publication Date

November 2025

Volume

43

Issue

31

Start / End Page

3403 / 3421

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Radiotherapy Dosage
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced
  • Male
  • Infant
  • Incidence
  • Humans
  • Female