title: [Brachytherapy for oesophageal cancer].
abstract: The main indication of oesophageal brachytherapy is palliative: it can improve dysphagia in patients with a tumor not suitable for surgery or chemoradiotherapy. A randomized clinical trial showed that survival without dysphagia and quality of life was improved by endoluminal brachytherapy in comparison to self-expansible metallic stents. It also increases the duration of palliation after laser deobstruction. Its role as a curative treatment of locally advanced tumors is still discussed: in combination with external beam radiotherapy, it seems that brachytherapy increased the rate of severe toxicity (haemorrhages, fistula, stenosis). In superficial lesions, brachytherapy with or without external beam radiotherapy seems logical but large prospective studies are missing in this setting.
authors.affiliation: Service de cancérologie-radiothérapie, hôpital Saint-Louis, 1, avenue Claude-Vellefaux, 75475 Paris, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hennequin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quero
mesh_terms: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000628:therapy; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D010166:Palliative Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D011874:Radiometry; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015607:Stents
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil