title: Intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy of tumorous esophageal stenoses.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Charles University Medical School & Teaching Hospital, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. dvorakj@fnhk.cz
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dvorak
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petera
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kabelac
authors.forename: Bohuslav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Melichar
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Voboril
authors.forename: Stanislav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Filip
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vosmik
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hulek
mesh_terms: 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