Radiation Therapy in Cancer of the Esophagus

Abstract

From 1958 to 1962, 199 cases of cancer of the esophagus were treated with radiation alone.As the recomendable technic for the middle thoracicesophagus rotating method should be taken with in conventional X-ray irradition or Co-60 teletherapy. For the upper and lower portions of the esophagus, crossfire method from 2 or 3 fields is most often undertaken.The exposure is given at the rate of 150-200 rad tumor dose daily and the total does of 5, 000-7, 000 rads in 5-7 weeks is administered in cases treated with irradiation alone.The survival rate of patients treated with irradiation alone was 29 per cent in 1 year, 9 per cent in 2 year, 6 per cent in 3 year and 5 per cent in 5 year respectively.From 1962 to 1964, 42 patients were underwent the radical resection after radical irradiation. The preoperative irradiation was administratered by tele-cobalt or Linac, and was held at 5, 000 to 6, 000 rad tumor dose during 5 to 6 weeks. The radical operation was performed between 10 and 26 day following the completion of the irradiation.Radical resection was able in 86 per cent of irradiate cases, which is much higher than 50 per cent in radical resectability of our non-irradiated cases.The survival rate of preoperatively irradiated patients was 64 per cent in 1 year, and 46 per cent in 2 Year, and it is expected that the combined treatment program will result in definitely improving five year survival rate in near future.