[Curative and palliative therapy of esophageal carcinoma; role of radiotherapy].

Oesophageal carcinoma continues to represent a major problem for surgeons, radiation oncologists and medical oncologists. More aggressive surgery and more sophisticated radiation therapy with intraluminal afterloading techniques with radioactive material have failed to substantially improve the outcome of this dismal disease. The present paper evaluates the current position of the radiotherapeutic treatment, based on a review of published data and with emphasis on combined treatments with surgery and cytotoxic drugs. Special attention is drawn to the process of selecting patients in combined treatment trials.