Preoperative radiotherapy 1. Radiotherapy purposes
Reduce the tumor size, reduce the tumor and normal tissue blood vessels and other organs, especially the adhesion and improve the resection rate, while making the small blood vessels around the tumor, lymphatic obstruction, lower transfer and improve survival.
Esophageal cancer preoperative radiotherapy 2. Indications
Preoperative radiotherapy is the patient, and can tolerate surgery, but the tumor later, surgical resection difficult cases.
Preoperative radiotherapy 3. Preoperative irradiation technology
Radioactive sources and the illuminated area of the same with the simple radical radiotherapy, irradiation methods are generally divided into three categories. First, conventional methods :30 – 40Gy / 3-4 weeks, 5 days a week, rest 2 – 4 weeks after surgery. The second is a short course of treatment method: to 20Gy/4-5 times 7 days after the end of radiotherapy surgery. Third, the high-dose :50 – 70Gy / 5 – 7 weeks, rest 2 – 4 weeks after surgery. The radiation dose Fletcher reported 30 – 40Gy to control 70% of the time sub-clinical lesions, 50Gy over 90%, and lymph nodes by 20 – 45Gy irradiation can also be shrunk, thus the control of subclinical lesions can be in the following 50Gy.
Preoperative radiotherapy doses greater than 50Gy and 40Gy similar survival rates, but higher morbidity and mortality. In addition preoperative radiotherapy can improve survival are divided, as at present, preoperative radiotherapy still do not see obvious advantages, the main purpose is to improve the resection rate.