Reevaluation of postoperative radiotherapy for thoracic esophageal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To reevaluate postoperative radiotherapy for thoracic esophageal carcinoma.


METHODS
Reviewed were the outcome of 89 patients who underwent esophagectomy with systematic dissection of regional lymph nodes between 1988 and 1993. Of the 89 patients, 19 underwent no adjuvant treatment, 22 underwent adjuvant chemotherapy alone, and 48 underwent postoperative radiotherapy. Twelve of the 48 also underwent adjuvant chemotherapy.


RESULTS
All patients who experienced local-regional recurrence had lymph node metastases at the time of surgery. The actuarial local-regional control rate at 2-year of follow-up was 94% for patients with lymph node metastases at the time of surgery who underwent postoperative radiotherapy alone or plus chemotherapy, and 74% for those who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy alone. The local-regional control rate was significantly better for those who had undergone postoperative radiotherapy (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Postoperative radiotherapy still plays an important role as adjuvant treatment.
Yamamoto
M
M
Department of Radiology, Cancer Institute Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Yamashita
T
T
Matsubara
T
T
Kitahara
T
T
Sekiguchi
K
K
Furukawa
M
M
Uki
A
A
Kobayashi
M
M
Tanaka
E
E
Ueda
M
M
Nakajima
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D015996:Survival Rate