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[Intraoperative radiotherapy for 30 esophageal carcinoma patients]
Fu-lai Yan1, Xing-ming Zhou, Qi-xun Chen
1Departments of Abdominal and Thoracic Surgical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310022, China.
Objective:
To analyze the complications and treatment results of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) for esophageal carcinoma.
Methods:
Sixty patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma underwent esophagectomy through right thoractomy, 30 patients of whom received IORT of 15 - 25 Gy.
Results:
In patients who underwent IORT, 2 cases of pneumonitis, 1 case of anastomotic leak and 1 case of incisional wound infection were found. In patients underwent surgery only, 1 case of thoracic empyema and 1 case of anastomotic leak were found. All the complications ultimately healed. There was no operative mortality. During the follow-up of 3 years, in patients who underwent IORT, 2 of 3 died of radiation pneumonitis 24 and 26 months after IORT with one complicated with bronchoesophageal fistula. One of 3 died of multiple lung metastases. The 3-year survival rate was 88.0% (22/25) in IORT group and 76.0% (19/25) in surgery only group.
Conclusion:
Intraoperative radiotherapy can reduce locoregional recurrence if performed to thoracic esophageal carcinoma patients without surgical contraindication or distant metastasis. Radiation pneumonitis, a common complication difficult to manage, implies a poor prognosis and, consequently, the lung and bronchus should be protected from the radiation.