INITIAL EXPERIENCE WITH TELEBRACHYTHERAPY TREATMENT IN PALLIATION OF ADVANCED ESOPHAGEAL CANCER

Ten patients with advanced metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the m iddle third of the oesophagus were treated with palliative external ra diotherapy and intraluminal brachytherapy. All patients had long lesio ns, 8 - 15 cm in length, and narrow lumens that did not allow the pass age of a guidewire for dilatation. improvement in dysphagia by more th an 2 grades was seen in 9 of 10 patients. This finding was correlated with an increase in the size of the oesophageal lumen at the end of 6 weeks following treatment by barium swallow. No complications of treat ment were noted in any patient. Low doses of external beam radiotherap y and high-dose-rate intraluminal brachytherapy can provide quick and effective palliation in advanced metastatic oesophageal carcinoma.