Complications of esophageal carcinoma treated with intra-cavitary radiotherapy / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

ABSTRACT

Purpose: At present ,the local control of esophageal carcinoma have been improved by using intra-cavitary irradiation, but the complications a much more than before. It is necessary to study the real condition of these complications.Materials and Methods: From August 1993 to May 1994,38 patients with esophageal carcinoma were treated with external beam combined with intra-cavitary radiotherapy in our hospital. Conventional radiotherapy was used 200cGy/F,5F/W.When the dose of external beam reached 3800cGy/19F,intra-cavitary radiotherapy was added with the dose of 500cGy/F/W(patient did not receive the external beam at the same day). The total dose of external and intra-cavitary radiotherapy were 5000cGy/25F/5W and 1500cGy/3F/3W at end of the course respectively.Results: ① 68.4%(26/38) patients had esophagitis.②25 patients suffered from the non-carcinoma esophagostenosis, which was related to the length of tumor before treatment, the shade of soft tissue around lesion, the esophagitis, the diameter of esophagus cavitary and stiff of esophagus wall before intracavitary radiotherapy.③10 of 38 cases had non-carcimoma ulcer. All patients had received 1500cGy/3F/3W intracavitary radiotherapy and occured serious esophagitis, 7 of 10 suffered from the non-carcinoma stricture and ulcer before or later.④ 6 of 38 cases had the fistula and 5 patients had been exposed 1500cGy/3F/3W intracavitary radiotherapy.Conclusion: Esophageal carcinoma treated by afterloading techniques may improve the serious obstruction immediately, but it is not sure the long-term survial yet. We also find the increasing serious complications and the decreasing life quality by using this treatment.We suggests that this method only can be used as an auxilliary way with the external beam radiotherapy.