1991 Volume 3 Issue 2 Pages 111-114
Between May 1980 and June 1987, 100 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer were treated with high-dose-rate intraluminal brachytherapy (HDRIBT) after external radiotherapy (ERT). The standard treatment protocol was 60Gy/6 weeks of ERT and 12 Gy/week of HDRIBT. Follow-up time was 3 to 9 years (median 5 years). The 100 patients were classified into two groups according to 3-year survival after the initiation of radiotherapy. Fourteen patients survived for 3 or more years; the other 86 patients died within 3 years. The data of all patients were examined, and the following factors correlated with 3-year survival: female sex, shorter tumor length, superficial or tumorous-type x-ray appearance before treatment, earlier stage, and better local response to treatmentIn 3-year survivors, intercurrent death was the main cause of death, whereas uncontrolled cancer was the maincause among patients who died within 3 years.
