title: Radiotherapy for carcinoma of the esophagus in patients aged eighty or older.
abstract: Between 1980 and 1988, 206 patients with esophageal cancer were treated initially with radiotherapy. The patients were classified into three groups according to age. Ninety-four patients aged 43-69 years comprised Group A, 83 patients aged 70-79 years comprised Group B, and 29 patients aged 80-86 years comprised Group C. There were no statistically significant differences in background factors between Groups A, B, and C, except for the sex ratio. The male:female ratio was 7.5:1 in Group A, 3.9:1 in Group B, and 1.9:1 in Group C, with the difference between Groups A and C being statistically significant (p less than 0.05). High-dose-rate intracavitary irradiation (HDRII) with or without external irradiation (EI) was performed in 64%, 69%, and 83% of the patients from Groups A, B, and C, respectively. Patients in Groups A, B, and C achieved CR in 23%, 24%, and 34% of cases following radiotherapy. Two- and 5-year survival rates were 16.7% and 6.7% in Group A, 17.2% and 6.0% in Group B, and 27.1% and 20.3% in Group C. No significant differences were found in the patterns of failure and in the radiation-induced injuries between the three groups. Our data suggested that radiotherapy was the treatment of first choice for patients 80 years old and older.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hishikawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurisu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kamikonya
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes