Treatment of esophageal cancer with high dose rate intracavitary irradiation.

Fifteen patients with esophageal cancer were treated with high dose rate intracavitary irradiation from a small radioactive source. The apparatus used for the intracavitary irradiation consisted of a remote-control intracavitary irradiation apparatus with small high intensity source (Ralstron, Shimazu Co.) and a transfer tube of radioactive source. Since the field size of irradiation was various, the most suitable program was set up at the depth of 0.5 cm from the inner surface of the esophagus. 13 fresh cases were treated with high dose rate intracavitary irradiation of 1000-2750 rads (0.5 cm below the inner surface) after external irradiation of ca. 5000 rads with Linac x-ray. As a result, 7 cases survived 1 year and 1 case 2 years. Local recurrence was seen in 5 out of 7 cases surviving 1 year. 2 recurrence cases after radical external irradiation showed improvement on x-ray picture through intracavitary irradiation.