• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 1987

From March, 1983 to March, 1987, 16 patients with esophageal steno-obstruction due to nonesophageal tumors were treated in the Division of Therapeutic Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College. The patient characteristics, effect of radiotherapy (XRT) on esophageal steno-obstruction and survival were evaluated. The most common primary tumor was lung cancer (14/16) and the middle third of the esophagus was most frequently involved (14/16). Improved clinical response was observed in $80\%$ of the patients who finished the planned courses of XRT. The mean radiation dose evoking the improvement of dysphagia was 2,993 cGy given over a period of 3 to 4 weeks. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival at 15 and 30 weeks of follow-up were $60\%$ and $46\%$, respectively. In the completed group who finished the whole planned courses of XRT, survival rates were $77\%\;and\;51\%$, respectively. Four patients were alive over 90 weeks with normal passage of food.