[Possibilities for improving methods of radiotherapy of esophageal cancer]

The authors considered 3 variants of radiation therapy of esophageal cancer using megavoltage radiation sources: standard methods including a continuous course, optimized planning including a continuous and split irradiation course. In the use of megavoltage sources and a continuous irradiation course the 5-year survival was 8.8%. The use of a split course in rational dosimetric planning made it possible to improve the 3-year survival up to 22.4% in a split course and up to 11.2% in a continuous course. The use of the optimum dosimetric planning made it possible while irradiationg esophageal cancer patients to reduce radiation exposure of the pulmonary tissue and to achieve a decrease of severe forms of radiation pneumonia.