High-Dose-Rate Intracavitary Irradiation in the Surgical Treatment of Cancer of the Thoracic Esophagus

Thoracic esophageal cancer upon diagnosis is frequently found to be already advanced and also to have metastasized to the lymph nodes even in the early stages. Current surgical treatment operatively excises lymph nodes in three major areas (cervical, thoracic, and abdominal). It is difficult to know whether this operative treatment always contributes to the therapeutic improvement. However, advances in surgery have led to greater understanding about the ease with which esophageal cancer metastasizes to the lymph nodes. Accordingly, extensive dissection is not very effective particularly for advanced cancer. We feel that a new approach is needed to improve therapeutic results for the treatment of advanced esophageal cancer.