Massive iliac artery bleeding in patients receiving intraoperative radiation therapy for advanced rectal cancer: report of two cases.

Multimodality treatment for advanced rectal cancer, including intraoperative radiation therapy, is associated with significant complications. Unfortunately, because of the high local recurrence rates and mortality in these patients, the treatment regimen of external beam radiation therapy, chemotherapy, extensive resection, and intraoperative radiation therapy is one of the few potentially curative options available. Here we report two cases of massive iliac artery bleeding after multimodality treatment for advanced rectal cancer, which included intraoperative radiation therapy.