[Radiation therapy of esophageal cancer--radical radiotherapy and radiotherapy in combination with surgery].

The role of radical and palliative radiotherapy, and radiotherapy combined with surgery are discussed. Surgical resection and radiation therapy have been applied to curative treatment of carcinoma of esophagus. Despite of recent advances of surgery, the results are still unfavorable. Radical irradiation was applied to attempt at long term control of the local and regional disease despite dismal cure rate: doses in the range of 6000 to 7000 rad were required. Palliative irradiation is also achieved significant improvement, and dose range of 4000 to 5000 rad were required. The lesions of cervical or upper one third of the esophagus showed better prognosis by radiotherapy than the lower lesions. Prognosis was related to the size of the lesion and the depth of penetration of the esophageal wall. To improve the treated result, pre- or post operative radiotherapy was tried in combination with surgery. Preoperative irradiation has improved the surgical resectability and treatment result, which was contributed by the recent advances of surgical technique which made extended operation possible. Therefore, the role of preoperative irradiation should be re-evaluated. Postoperative prophylactic irradiation was used to control the possible improvements of mediastimun and/or neck nodes. The treatment results were better in the group of postoperative irradiation than in the group without irradiation.