title: [Efficacy of late accelerated hyperfractionated conformal radiotherapy combined with capecitabine for esophageal carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of late accelerated hyperfractionated conformal radiotherapy (LACF) combined with capecitabine on esophageal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixty eight patients of esophageal cancer were randomly divided into 3 groups, including the radiotherapy alone group (CF) which received conventional conformal radiotherapy to a total of 60 - 66 Gy, LCAF group which received conventional fractionated conformal radiotherapy during the first two-thirds of the treatment to a dose about 40 Gy/20F/4W, then followed by late accelerated hyperfractionated conformal radiotherapy, twice daily radiotherapy at 1.3 Gy per fraction to a total dose about 64 - 69 Gy, and LCAF + C group (late accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy combined with capecitabine), in which patients were treated as the same as the LCAF group, except that they were treated with capecitabine (1.5 g po bid) from beginning of the radiotherapy to the end.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The short-term results of the 3 groups were 74.0%, 85.5% and 95.2%, respectively (P = 0.006). The local control rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 64.0%, 30.0%, 24.0% in the CF group, 81.8%, 65.5%, 58.2% in the LCAF group and 90.1%, 77.8%, 74.6% in the LCAF+C group, respectively. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of the 3 groups were 58.0%, 20.0%, 8.0%; 78.2%, 36.4%, 17.0% and 85.7%, 55.6%, 30.2%, respectively. The effect of LCAF+C group was better than that of LCAF group and CF group. The incidence of acute tracheitis and acute esophagitis in the LCAF+C group and LCAF group was higher than that in the CF group, but there was no stastistically significant difference between the 2 groups. There was no statistically significant difference in distant metastasis in the 3 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Capecitabine, as an effective chemosensitizater combined with late accelerate hyperfractionated radiotherapy can improve the short-term results of treatment of esophageal cancer. The value of this combined treatment in distant metastasis reqires further study in the clinic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Xin-zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Jun-qing
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000209:etiology; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D017564:Radiation Pneumonitis / Q000209:etiology; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil