摘要
AIM To compare the validity of radiotherapy and surgery for operable esophageal carcinoma in 180 patients with pathologically proved esophageal carcinoma who had been accepted for surgery, but for various reasons, were given radical radiation therapy. METHODS The reasons of abandoning surgery in the patients were: poor cardiac function (21), poor pulmonary function (36), poor general condition (9), senility (aged 69~81 years), 32 and refusal by the patient (82). They were treated either by the isocenter technic alone or anteroposterior plus isocenter irradiation to a total dose of 50~70 Gy/5~7wk. RESULTS The 1 , 3 and 5 year survival rates were 64%, 34% and 23%. The 3 and 5 year survival rates showed that lesions in the upper third did better than those in the middle and lower thirds ( P <0 05). The 5 year survival rate by radiation alone (44 5%) of the upper third lesions was slightly better than by surgery. The effect for lesions in the middle third was slightly inferior, and that for the lower third was even poorer than that of surgery. CONCLUSION The result of radiation alone for the operable esophageal carcinoma was similar to that of surgery.