Randomized clinical trial on seven-day-per-week continuous accelerated irradiation for patients with esophageal carcinoma: preliminary report on tumor response and acute toxicity.
OBJECTIVE
Tumor response and normal tissue toxicity of seven-day-per-week continuous accelerated irradiation (CAIR) for patients with esophageal carcinoma were evaluated and compared to conventional irradiation (CR).


METHODS
Sixty patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus were randomized into two groups: the CAIR group (30 patients) and the CR group (30 patients). Patients in the CAIR group received radiotherapy (RT) with 2 Gy/fraction per day at 7 d/wk with a total dose of 50-70 Gy (average dose 64.2 Gy). The overall time of irradiation was 3.6-5.0 wk (average 4.6 wk). RT in the CR group was 2 Gy/fraction per day at 5 d/wk with a total dose of 40-70 Gy (average dose 61.7 Gy). The overall time of irradiation was 4.0-7.0 wk (average 6.4 wk).


RESULTS
The data showed that the immediate tumor response to RT was better in the CAIR group than in the CR group. Efficiency rates (CR plus PR) were 82.8% (24/29) and 58.6% (17/29), respectively (P = 0.047). In both groups the incidences of esophagitis and tracheitis were insignificant (P = 0.376, 0.959), and no patient received toxicity that could not be tolerated.


CONCLUSIONS
CAIR shortens overall treatment time and is well tolerated by patients. It may be superior to CR in enhancing the local response of tumor, but its remote effect for esophageal carcinoma awaits further follow-up.
Sun
Su-Ping
SP
Department of Radiation Oncology, Changzhou Second Hospital - The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 29# Xing Long Xiang, Changzhou 213003, Jiangsu Province, China. ssp56@126.com
Liu
Ya-Zhou
YZ
Ye
Tao
T
Zhang
Wen
W
Shen
Wen-Bin
WB
Shi
Jing-Lei
JL
Xu
Hai-Ting
HT
Wang
Wei-Dong
WD
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006454:Hemoglobins