Combination of conformal radiotherapy,chemotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of esophageal carcinoma

One hundred and twenty seven patients with esophageal carcinoma were randomly divided into three groups.Group A-51 patients were given radiotherapy(RT group);Group B-30 patients were treated with conformal radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy(CRT group).;Group C-46 patients were treated with conformal radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy plus traditional Chinese medicine(Combined Group).In Group A,Group B and Group C,the hematopoietic toxicity was observed in 25.5%,90% and 54.3% of patients,respectively;Acute radiation esophagitis occurred in 94.1%,96.7% and 21.7% of patients,respectively,the complete reponse rate(CR)was 39.2%,66.7% and 84.8%,partial response(PR)was 60.8%,33.3% and 15.2%,respectively.The 1-,2-,3-year survival rates were 43.1%,50% and 71.7%,33.3%,40% and 56.5%,13.7%,27% and 39.1%,respectively.The primary research results suggest that the conformal with radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy plus traditional Chinese medicine is superior to the radiotherapy alone or confomal radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy in improving the living quality,late curative effect,and 1-,2-year survival rates.The side-effects are tolerable.