[Chemotherapy of esophageal carcinoma]

Surgery and radiation therapy had been the main treatment methods for esophageal carcinoma. Since the clinical use of cisplatin, chemotherapy became the third arm of the treatment. Many chemotherapeutic agent have clinical effect in the form of single administration. Combination of some drugs has marked effect, and chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy has more effect including CR. At present, combination of cisplatin with vindesine or 5-FU seems most effective. But frequency of CR is very low in chemotherapy alone, adjuvant surgery should be necessary.