Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with moderate dose brachytherapy as remission induction for patients surgically treated for esophageal cancer

: The locally advanced cancer of thoracic esophagus was treated by induction chemo-irradiation therapy (IHRT) with intraluminal medium dose-rate brachytherapy (IMBT). From July 2009 to February 2012 twenty five patients (mean age 54.3 +/- 1.3 years) were included in the study. The length of the primary tumor was up to 6 cm in 10 pts and more than 6 cm in 15 pts. Induction therapy consisted of three IMBT sessions (7 Gy X 3; q7d) and two cycles of chemotherapy (PF; q28d), 26-31 days later the surgery was performed. Subtotal resection of the esophagus type of I Lewis was performed in 23 pts, transtracheal extirpation of the esophagus was performed in 2 pts.In all the cases 3F lymphodissection was performed. After IHRT in 15 of 25 pts. was obtained complete or partial response, in 10 of 25 pts was obtained disease stabilization. Perioperative complications occurred in 17 (68%) patients receiving conservative treatment, one patient (4%) died of treatment complications. In 6 cases (24%) morphology had shown the complete regression of primary tumor. Thus, the combination of intraluminal medium dose-rate brachytherapy and chemotherapy lead to reduction of primary tumor local spread and can be an efficient factor in improving the results of surgical treatment.