[Radiotherapy of esophageal cancer]

In the Institute of Radiology in Belgrade, in 1960 to 1972 period, 115 patients with malignant tumors of eosophagus were treated only with radiation. Among them there were 89 men and 26 women. The tumors appeared most frequently in the seventh decade of life, and their localization did not have an essential influence on the course of the disease, respectively on the effects of medical treatment. Two of these patients survived 5 years, and 78 died in the course of the first year after radiation. Particularly we found improvement regarding the general condition and the better feeding possibilities (70 per cent of the cases). These patients spent their last days relatively well and in this we should see the significant of radiotherapy of these malignant tumors, because another choice of medical treatment and help does not exist for the present. From 1975 year we have been using the preoperative radiation in short courses in order to improve the surgical results.