Effective palliation for inoperable esophageal cancer using intensive intracavitary radiation

In a pilot study between May 1988 and May 1989, ten consecutive patients with advanced esophageal cancer were treated with a short intensive course of intraluminal curietherapy without external beam irradiation at the Kaiser Permanente-Los Angeles Medical Center. Nine of ten patients achieved effective palliation comparable to that of standard external beam teletherapy from other series. Most patients had already failed other palliative modalities including chemotherapy, laser debridement, dilation, and electrocautery. The duration of response was generally longer than with these techniques. All patients completed therapy, and tolerance was excellent. Intraluminal irradiation is an attractive, effectual therapeutic alternative, especially in patients with advanced local or distant disease unlikely to tolerate 5 to 7 weeks of external beam therapy.