Study of clinical effects of radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy in treatment of esophageal carcinoma

Objective To compare the efficacy and side effect of radiotherapy and radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy for esophageal carcinoma. Methods 90 patients with esophageal carcinoma were randomly divided into tow groups: control group 45 patients and combined therapy group 45 patients. Radiotherapy was performed on the control group, radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy which consisted of Carboplatin, 5-Fluorouracil and Hydroxycamptothecine were carried out the combined group. The two groups were under the same technical conditions and radiation dose. Three radiation fields were performed on both two groups at 200 cGy each time. The total radiation dose were 6 400 ~ 6 800 cGy. Results The local tumor control rate of combined group were higher than control group markedly. The acute gastrointestinal tract reaction and myetlosuppression were more serious than the control group. However, the late radiation reaction were not significance between the two groups. The main late reaction were radiation esophageal stricture and lung fibrosis. Conclusion Radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy is able to enhance the local control rate, 1 year and 3 years survival rate for esophageal carcinoma, but the acute side effect also increased and the late reaction were not increased.