Intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy of tumorous esophageal stenoses.
OBJECTIVE
The prognosis of inoperable carcinomas of esophagus is poor, and therapeutic efforts are generally limited to palliation. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy in the palliative treatment of tumorous esophageal stenoses.


METHODS
Between February 1997 and July 2002 intraluminal brachytherapy was performed in 19 patients with inoperable esophageal carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma in 14 cases and adenocarcinoma in 5 cases). All patients had dysphagia at presentation. Brachytherapy was performed using high dose rate afterloading system.


RESULTS
Dysphagia was improved in all patients. The mean survival was 248 days. No mechanical complications were observed during introduction of the applicator.


CONCLUSIONS
Our experience indicates that intraluminal brachytherapy is an effective and safe method of palliation of dysphagia caused by malignant esophageal stenosis.
Dvorak
Josef
J
Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Charles University Medical School & Teaching Hospital, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. dvorakj@fnhk.cz
Petera
Jiri
J
Kabelac
Karel
K
Melichar
Bohuslav
B
Voboril
Rene
R
Filip
Stanislav
S
Vosmik
Milan
M
Hulek
Petr
P
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy; D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D011379:Prognosis