The role of radiotherapy in carcinoma of the thoracic oesophagus: an audit of the Mount Vernon experience 1980-1989.
All 244 patients with carcinoma of the thoracic oesophagus registered at the Mount Vernon Centre for Cancer Treatment during the decade from 1 January 1980 to 31 December 1989 have been audited. We have made a detailed analysis of 110 (45%) with localized disease considered unsuitable for surgery, who completed treatment solely by radiotherapy. The median survival of this group of patients was 8.2 months (range 0.2-54 months). Dysphagia was improved by radiotherapy in 77.3% of cases, the median duration of relief was 24 weeks (range 0-208 weeks) and was maintained until death in 40%. Life table analysis showed that radical compared with less than radical regimens of radiotherapy gave significantly superior relief of dysphagia. This result is unlikely to be due to case selection.
Mount Vernon Centre for Cancer Treatment, Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, Middlesex, UK.
M D
MD
Leslie
S
S
Dische
M I
MI
Saunders
E
E
Grosch
D
D
Fermont
R F
RF
Ashford
E J
EJ
Maher
D000367:Age Factors; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002423:Cause of Death; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy; D004739:England; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D015993:Life Tables; D008485:Medical Audit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012074:Remission Induction; D012737:Sex Factors