[Radiotherapy of esophageal cancer -- any improvement in prognosis? (author's transl)].

Results of radiotherapy (42 MeV-Beta-tron) on 93 patients with esophageal cancer treated between 1969 and 1976 are reported and compared with those in the literature (on orthovoltage- and telecobalt-therapy). Complete remissions occured in 29%; the one -- and two-year-survival-rate for all 93 patients was 38% and 24% respectively, and for patients with complete remission 74% and 44% respectively. Although there was improvement in complete remission and short term survival compared to that reported in the literature, the five-year-survival-rate (only about 5% of patients) showed no significant improvement.