Clinical study of late-course three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for esophageal carcinoma

Objective:To evaluate the curative effect of late-course three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for esophageal carcinoma.Methods:From May 2003 to May 2005,70 patients with pathologically confirmed esophageal carcinoma were randomly divided into control group and treatment group,with 35 patients in each group.The patients in control group received conventional iso-center radiotherapy in 2.0 Gy/f,5 fractions a week to a total dose of 70Gy in 7 weeks.The patients in treatment group were first treated by the same fractions in control group to the dose of 40Gy,and then treated by three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in 3.0 Gy/f,5 fractions a week to the total dose of 70Gy in 6 weeks.Results:The short-term effective rates were 88.6% and 77.1% in treatment and control group(P0.05).The 1- and 3- year local control rates were 77.1% and 57.1% in treatment group and 62.9% and 31.4% in control group(P0.05).The 1- and 3- year survival rates were 68.6% and 42.9% in treatment group and 54.3% and 25.7% in control group(P0.05).Between the two groups,there was no significant difference in radiation toxicities.Conclusion:The 1- and 3- year local control rate and survival rate of patients with esophageal carcinoma treated by three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy is superior to conventional radiotherapy.But acute toxic effect are not significantly different.