[Radiochemotherapy of inoperable esophageal cancer with 5-FU infusions]

A combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy was applied to 13 patients for non-operable oesophageal carcinoma. Included in the twelve-week treatment were radiation doses between 43 and 60 Gy and five FU infusions. Only six patients responded at all to the therapy. Eleven patients died of progressing tumour growth, within two to nine months from diagnosis. One committed suicide with evidence of progressing deterioration. Only one has so far survided without recurrence for 36 months. The study was discontinued for the poor results recorded from those 13 patients. Different cytostatic combinations may, perhaps, yield better results.