A randomized clinical study of preoperative accelerated radiotherapy versus routine radiotherapy for late esophageal cancers--an analysis of 177 cases
Zhao, Y.L.; Wei, G.Q.; Sha, Y.H.
Zhonghua Zhong Liu Za Zhi 16(6): 444-446
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0253-3766 PMID: 7720502 Document Number: 437950
From March 1989 to Oct. 1993, 177 patients with esophageal cancer were treated with preoperative radiotherapy. They were randomly divided into two groups: preoperative routine radiotherapy (RR) group and accelerated radiotherapy (AR) group. In the former group, radiation was given 2 Gy/day, 5 sessions/week with a total of 40Gy in 4 wks, while in the AR group, radiation was given 2 Gy/session, two sessions/day at an interval of 6-8 hours, 10 sessions/week for 2 weeks with a total dose of 40 Gy in 2 weeks. The patients were operated 3-4 weeks after radiation. The resectability rate was 95% in AR group, and 90% in RR group. The 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year survival rates in AR group were 89%, 85%, 69% and 60%, while 80%, 65%, 48% and 41% in RR group respectively. The degree of tumor regression examined histopathologically was: Grade I in 9%, Grade II in 41% and Grade III in 50% of AR-treated patients, while in 34%, 39%, 27% of RR-treated patients. Periesophageal lymph node metastasis was 13% in AR group, while 24% in RR group. The results of AR are better than that of RR indicate that preoperative accelerated radiation gave better therapeutic results than routine radiotherapy.