ORAL SUCRALFATE IN ACUTE RADIATION ESOPHAGITIS

Eighty patients with carcinoma in the middle third of oesophagus and w ith acute radiation oesophagitis following external beam and intracavi tary radiotherapy were managed by two different schedules. Group 1 (n = 40) received an antacid containing sodium alginate whereas Group 2 ( n = 40) were given a 10% sucralfate suspension during 4 weeks. In Grou p 2, 32 patients had significant relief of symptoms within 7 days of t reatment and most ulcers had healed by 12 days of treatment as seen on endoscopy. Patients in Group 1, on the other hand, showed little impr ovement of symptoms and had persistent ulcers even after 4 weeks of th erapy. We conclude that sucralfate is useful in the management of acut e radiation oesophagitis.