[Primary radiotherapy of esophageal carcinoma: a therapeutic alternative?]

The authors present the results of primary radiotherapy in 73 patients with esophagus carcinomas. A subgroup of non-circular squamous-cell carcinomas without remote and lymph node metastases (n = 19) shows a prognosis which is very favorable for this tumor. As local therapy of the esophagus carcinoma can only aim at a tolerable course of the disease until the appearance of metastases, the results achieved give occasion to doubt the priority of surgery in case of operable tumors. The question arises if primary radiotherapy wouldn't be an effective and not very risky alternative for patients presenting these favorable criteria.