title: [Intraoperative radiotherapy for 30 esophageal carcinoma patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the complications and treatment results of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) for esophageal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma underwent esophagectomy through right thoractomy, 30 patients of whom received IORT of 15 - 25 Gy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In patients who underwent IORT, 2 cases of pneumonitis, 1 case of anastomotic leak and 1 case of incisional wound infection were found. In patients underwent surgery only, 1 case of thoracic empyema and 1 case of anastomotic leak were found. All the complications ultimately healed. There was no operative mortality. During the follow-up of 3 years, in patients who underwent IORT, 2 of 3 died of radiation pneumonitis 24 and 26 months after IORT with one complicated with bronchoesophageal fistula. One of 3 died of multiple lung metastases. The 3-year survival rate was 88.0% (22/25) in IORT group and 76.0% (19/25) in surgery only group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intraoperative radiotherapy can reduce locoregional recurrence if performed to thoracic esophageal carcinoma patients without surgical contraindication or distant metastasis. Radiation pneumonitis, a common complication difficult to manage, implies a poor prognosis and, consequently, the lung and bronchus should be protected from the radiation.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Abdominal and Thoracic Surgical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310022, China.
authors.forename: Fu-lai
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Xing-ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Qi-xun
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rong-xuan
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Yan-hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xiu-yong
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiao-yun
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Di
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage