399. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1993 Dec 1;27(5):1063-7.
Intraoperative radiotherapy for esophageal carcinoma--significance of IORT dose
for the incidence of fatal tracheal complication.
Arimoto T(1), Takamura A, Tomita M, Suzuki K, Hosokawa M, Kaneko Y.
Author information:
(1)Department of Radiology, Hokkaido University, School of Medicine, Sapporo,
Japan.
PURPOSE: The feasibility of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) combined with
modified regional lymphatic dissection (plus esophagectomy) for advanced
esophageal carcinoma was tested. The quality of life in the patients was expected
to improve by modified surgery, securing a good local control by additional IORT.
METHODS AND MATERIALS: Total esophagectomy plus modified three-regional lymphatic
dissection with upper mediastinal IORT followed by postoperative external beam
irradiation was systematically given to 62 patients between August 1989 and June
1992. Sixty-five percent of the patients were age over 60, and 76% (47/62) of the
patients were Stage III or IV by pTNM. Several techniques for the IORT were
developed and used throughout this period, including a temporary collapse of the
right lung by unilateral tracheal incubation (for the insertion of IORT
applicator) and an in vivo dosimetry to know the appropriate range (energy) of
electron beam. The method of surgical treatment, the dose of external beam
irradiation were kept standardized, and only the dose of IORT was randomized
either to 20 or 25 Gy. IORT-related complications and the pattern of failures
were carefully monitored.
RESULTS: (a) Most prominent IORT-related complication was the late tracheal
damage, which occurred 6 of 44 patients who were at risk for more than a year.
(b) The incidence of IORT-induced tracheal damage was sharply dependent on the
dose of IORT; 6 out of 21 patients who received single dose of 25 Gy, and none
out of 33 who were given 20 Gy or less. (c) 2-year cause-specific survival and
actuarial 2-year survival were 75.0 +/- 14.5% and 62.5 +/- 13.2%, respectively.
No loco-regional recurrence has been detected at the time of analysis.
CONCLUSION: IORT in combination with modified total esophagectomy is an effective
and safe method to obtain a local control in advanced esophageal carcinomas, if
the dose of IORT does not exceed 20 Gy.
PMID: 8262828 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]