ORIGINAL ARTICLE A nationwide audit of the use of radiotherapy for rectal cancer in Italy G. Gagliardi • S. Pucciarelli • C. R. Asteria • A. Infantino • G. Romano • B. Cola • P. De Nardi • M. Brulatti • M. Lambertini • E. Contessini-Avesani • G. Casula • C. Coco • D. D’Amico • F. F. Selvaggi • C. Eccher • G. D’Ambrosio • F. Galeotti • E. Jovine • I. Demma • A. Fianchini • G. Ambrosino • L. M. Casentino • M. Fiorino Received: 12 November 2009 / Accepted: 16 June 2010 / Published online: 15 July 2010 Ó Springer-Verlag 2010 Abstract Background There is good evidence that radiotherapy is beneficial in advanced rectal cancer, but its application in Italy has not been investigated. Methods We conducted a nationwide survey among members of the Italian Society of Colo-Rectal Surgery (SICCR) on the use of radiation therapy for rectal cancer in the year 2005. Demographic, clinical and pathologic data were retrospectively collected with an online database. Italy was geographically divided into 3 regions: north, center and south which included the islands. Hospitals performing 30 or more surgeries per year were considered high volume. Factors related to radiotherapy delivery were identified with multivariate analysis. Results Of 108 centers, 44 (41%) responded to the audit. We collected data on 682 rectal cancer patients G. Gagliardi Coloproctology Unit, Ars Medica Hospital, Rome, Italy S. Pucciarelli Department Oncological and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Surgical Clinic, Padua University, Veneto, Italy C. R. Asteria Department of Surgery and Orthopaedics, Azienda Ospedaliera C. Poma, Mantua, Italy A. Infantino Department of Surgery, S. Maria dei Battuti Hospital, S.Vito al Tagliamento (Pn), Italy G. Romano Department of Colorectal Medical Oncology, National Cancer Institute of Naples, Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples, Italy B. Cola Department of Surgery, AOU S.Orsola-Malpighi, Univeristy of Bologna, Bologna, Italy P. De Nardi Department of Surgery, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, University of Milan, Milan, Italy M. Brulatti Department of Surgery, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy M. Lambertini Department of Surgery, San Salvatore Hospital, Pesaro, Italy E. Contessini-Avesani Department of Surgery, IRCCS Fondazione Hospital Milan, Milan, Italy G. Casula Department of Surgery, Surgical Clinic, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy C. Coco Department of Surgery, Sacro Cuore Catholic University of Rome, Rome, Italy D. D’Amico Gastroenterological and Surgical Department, 1st Surgical Clinic, University of Padua, Veneto, Italy F. F. Selvaggi Department of Surgery, Policlinico 2nd University of Naples, Naples, Italy C. Eccher Department of Surgery, S.Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy G. D’Ambrosio Department of Surgery, Civic Hospital, Lavagna Genova, Italy F. Galeotti Department of Surgery, Civic Hospital, Rovigo, Italy E. Jovine Department of Surgery, Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy 123 Tech Coloproctol (2010) 14:229–235 DOI 10.1007/s10151-010-0597-9