Combined chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in patients with esophageal cancer

ABSTRACT

This study included 61 patients with locally unresectable esophageal cancer. Thirty-one patients received radiotherapy alone [RT group], the dose of radiotherapy ranged between 60-64 Gy/6-6.5 weeks, while the remaining 30 patients received radiotherapy in a dose ranged between 45-50 Gy/4.5-5 weeks plus chemotherapy [CT-RT group]. Chemotherapy [consisting of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and cisplatin] was given 2-3 cycles before radiotherapy and further 2-3 cycles were given after radiotherapy. The study concluded that combined modality therapy can improve the outcome in locally unresectable esophageal carcinoma with significantly better local rate, survival, progression-free survival rates and much reduction in the incidence and timing of treatment failures