Role of preoperative administration of bleomycin and radiation in the treatment of esophageal cancer.

The preoperative use of Bleomycin (BLM) alone or combined with irradiation in the treatment of esophageal cancer was evaluated in 58 patients who underwent surgical removal of the lesion for the past three and a half years. Histologic study showed such preoperative treatment is effective in inducing favorable changes in neoplastic cells in 69 per cent (40/58) of the primary lesions and in a significant number of involved lymph nodes of the second or the third groups. The study clearly suggests that preoperative Bleomycin administration combined with irradiation may be an useful adjunct preoperative procedure in esophageal cancer.